Ukraine, football, celebrity guests: King Charles-hosted state banquet for German president had it all

King Charles had jokes aplenty with a few serious concerns to address during the state banquet hosted in honour of President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and First Lady Elke Büdenbender at Windsor Castle, December 3.

Joined by key guests with German heritage, to help the royal family welcome the country’s leader, the evening consisted of glamour and gallantry generously served with a side of gleaming gold ornaments which were the first to catch the eye in any shot from the evening’s feast.

“The banquet was attended by 152 guests, including politicians, business leaders, and celebrities, in a seasonally-decorated St George’s Hall, with a 20ft (6m) Christmas tree covered in thousands of lights,” reported the BBC.

The royal address

King Charles took his position at the centre of the dinner table to begin his address at the gathering.

Following light conversation with his esteemed guest, the King began his speech in German.

He later addressed his own visit to Germany in 2023, saying, “During our Visit you kindly invited me to address the Bundestag in a deeply appreciated gesture of remarkable friendship, as well as visit your world-famous markets, celebrate the spirit of reconciliation under the ‘Cross of Nails’ at St. Nikolai Memorial Church, and be shown how you are using green energy in your ports and transport infrastructure.”

Sending key nods about the shared history between the British and German nations, the sovereign continued, “The bedrock of our relationship has not only been in ideas, but also in trade: merchants and craftsmen from Dortmund and Cologne who, in 1380, operated the Guildhall of The Germans in London which then dominated trade between our nations, and indeed across Europe, for over two hundred years!”

He also noted football as “another shared endeavour” between the two countries, proceeding to make light of the fact that his own is often no match for the style of play usually demonstrated by his guest’s.

“Of course, I use the word ‘shared’ in the broadest meaning of the word: there was, one has to admit, some element of truth in the famous description of football as a game where eleven people play eleven people, and then, in the end, the Germans win,” the King spoke to scattered laughter around the room.

Wars: Past and present

Any discussion regarding the history between Great Britain and Germany is incomplete without its blood splattered legacy — stating the immortal presence of the wars fought between the two European giants, King Charles moved on to the one conflict they stand against in union today.

“We have, of course, experienced the darkest times, and the most terrible consequences of conflict. But perhaps now, so many decades later, the acknowledgment of past suffering has become the basis for an honest friendship, renewed and redoubled,” he said. “So looking ahead, Herr Bundespräsident, we have a responsibility to our citizens, and to our European neighbours as well as the wider world, to speak about the shared values of the United Kingdom and Germany, and our shared vision for the future of our modern world, as encapsulated in the Kensington Treaty.”

The King went on to note a number of goals which he believed that the UK and Germany must work towards achieving in tandem, however, his mention of the current “Russian aggression” stood out as chief among them.

“And with regard to shared defence, our German-British Bridging Battalion at Minden – which I visited during our State Visit two years ago – is literally building bridges, a unique partnership at the heart of NATO. And more broadly, of course, the United Kingdom and Germany together stand with Ukraine and bolster Europe against the threat of further Russian aggression,” he stated.

‘Enemies became friends’

Like the King, the German head of state also celebrated his country’s blossoming ties with the United Kingdom while acknowledging thorns from the past.

“Our history binds us together, both the good and the bad chapters. The day after tomorrow I will travel to Coventry, a city that was reduced to rubble by German bombs during the Second World War. This year we look back on 80 years of peace between our two countries,” said President Steinmeier. “What a gift! Flourishing cities grew out of the ashes. Enemies became friends. That is our common history – and it shows what is possible when people have the courage to pursue reconciliation.”

Guest list

The distinguished list of guests present for the recent round of festivities at Windsor included supermodel Claudia Schiffer, composer Hans Zimmer, and former footballer Thomas Hitzlsperger.

Besides the 152 other guests from multiple disciplines and backgrounds, the royal members present at the state banquet were Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton, Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie, and Princess Anne, the Princess Royal.