King Charles has become the first British Monarch to address the German Parliament.
His Majesty delivered his speech in German and English and won laughs and applause throughout his address before being given a sustained standing ovation at the end of it.
His words touched on the past as well as the strong relationship between the UK and Germany in the present. But there was also a focus on the future as King Charles reflected on the ways the two nations are working together.
The King noted the joint effort between the countries to support Ukraine, telling the Bundestag that ”As Europe’s two largest donors to Ukraine, we have responded with taking decisions which might previously have seemed
unimaginable. Germany’s decision to send such significant military support to Ukraine is remarkably courageous, important and appreciated.”
His Majesty continued ”Today, our pilots are flying side-by-side on joint operations over our Baltic allies. Here, in Germany, our armies have established a joint Amphibious Engineer Battalion, which I will visit later today. Germany is the only nation in the world with which the United Kingdom has such a joint unit, an extraordinary testament to the partnership we enjoy.”
The King also looked to the future as he spoke of shared achievements in environmental issues, noting ‘‘Today, the United Kingdom and Germany are Europe’s two largest producers of power from offshore wind. Many German firms are involved in the production and erection of turbines off the British coast. The North Sea, across which our people have travelled and traded for generations, is soon to be the site of a new interconnector allowing us directly to trade electricity.”
King Charles also expressed his thanks for the many condolences sent on the death of Queen Elizabeth II. He spoke of Her Late Majesty’s many visits to German and the importance that she placed on them, adding ”My Mother understood the immense achievement that reconciliation represented, and in returning to Germany time and again, she was determined to play her own part. It is, perhaps, for this reason that Her Late Majesty won a particular place in the affection of the German people.”
And he raised a smile or two as he reflected on the differences between the two countries on the sports field, daring to mention the football rivalry that echoes through the game. King Charles said ”In some areas there are rivalries, of course, and I think especially of our encounters on the football pitch. Against this backdrop, it was particularly special last year that the England women’s football team – the Lionesses – could win the Euros against Germany last year. Beyond their sporting success, both teams have promoted gender equality in such an impressive way. In so doing, they inspired a generation – in Britain, Germany and far beyond.”
King Charles ended his historic address with a message of hope, saying ”In the long and remarkable story of our two countries, there are many chapters yet unwritten. Let us fill these with the restless pursuit of a better tomorrow. The legacy of our past, and the great promise of our future, demand nothing less. Thank you for your attention.”
As he acknowledged the applause for his speech, he was joined by Queen Camilla who had been listening from the front row.
The State Visit to Germany continues with more engagements in Berlin before moving to Frankfurt for the third and final day.
