Tokyo, 26 June, /AJMEDIA/
Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla officially welcomed Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako in a ceremony Tuesday, marking the start of a three-day state visit to the country.
It is the first state visit to Britain by a sitting emperor since then-Emperor Akihito’s in 1998 and is the Japanese couple’s second goodwill overseas visit since Emperor Naruhito ascended the throne in May 2019.
The Japanese royals, who arrived in the country on Saturday, were earlier greeted by Prince William, first in line to the British throne, at their central London hotel before travelling to Horse Guards Parade for the ceremonial welcome accompanied by a 41-gun salute.
Alongside the royal family, the imperial couple exchanged greetings with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, as well as Foreign Secretary David Cameron and Home Secretary James Cleverly.
King Charles, who was diagnosed with cancer in February, and the emperor inspected a guard of honor, formed of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards with the Band of the Welsh Guards, who played the Japanese national anthem “Kimigayo” and the traditional folk song “Sakura Sakura” (cherry blossoms) during the inspection.
The royal party then traveled up the Mall in a procession of horse-drawn carriages to the king’s official residence. The route was lined with the flags of Britain and Japan.
The emperor and empress had lunch at Buckingham Palace, after which they toured a Royal Collection exhibition in its Picture Gallery featuring items from Japan, and then lay a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey.