Federal President Joachim Gauck and Daniela Schadt received Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh on 24 June at the start of their state visit to Germany. The royal couple was welcomed with military honours at Schloss Bellevue in Berlin. The Heads of State and their partners then held talks. Afterwards, they went on a boat trip together on the Spree.
In the afternoon, President Gauck joined Queen Elizabeth II at the Technische Universität Berlin for a ceremony celebrating 50 years of Queen's Lectures. The Queen inaugurated this lecture series during her first state visit to Germany in 1965. In the evening the Federal President hosted a state banquet at Schloss Bellevue in honour of the Queen.
On 25 June, the Federal President and Ms Schadt accompanied their guests on a trip to Frankfurt am Main. There they visited St Paul's Church and had lunch in the Römer (City Hall). In the evening, they all attended a reception given by the British Ambassador back in Berlin.
This was the Queen's fifth state visit to Germany. Her previous state visits to Germany took place in May 1965, May 1978, October 1992 and November 2004.
Programme for the state visit:
Wednesday, 24 June 2015
- Schloss Bellevue
Welcome with military honours and talks - Berlin
Boat trip on the Spree from Schloss Bellevue to the quay at the Paul Löbe Haus - Technische Universität Berlin
The Queen's Lecture, given by Mr Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum - Schloss Bellevue
State banquet in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, hosted by the Federal President and Ms Daniela Schadt
Thursday, 25 June 2015
- Berlin Tegel airport
Flight to Frankfurt am Main - Frankfurt am Main
Visit St Paul's Church, luncheon in the Frankfurt Römer and walk across Römerberg - Frankfurt am Main airport
Flight to Berlin - Berlin, Residence of the Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Reception hosted by Ambassador Simon McDonald