Did anyone else forget that this week is somewhat busy for the Windsors? I remembered that the Princess of Wales’s Christmas concert will happen on Friday, but I forgot that the German president is undertaking a state visit to the UK, and the royals are putting out the red carpet. Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elka Büdenbender arrive on Wednesday, where they will be formally greeted on the tarmac by Prince William and Kate. Much like the Macrons’ state visit and the Trumps’ state visit, it looks like King Charles doesn’t trust William to do anything other than “airport greeting” and “state banquet.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales will play a crucial role in the German state visit to Britain from 3-5 December, welcoming President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and First Lady Elke Büdenbender to Heathrow Airport before travelling to Windsor. In a sign of their importance when it comes to matters of diplomacy, Prince William and Catherine will be the first royals that the visiting Presidential couple meet before they are formally welcomed by King Charles and Queen Camilla at the Royal Dais on Datchet Road.
As is swiftly becoming a tradition for state visits while Buckingham Palace undergoes repairs, the royals will host the couple at Windsor, kicking off the occasion with a carriage procession to the Castle, which will see the President and First Lady joined by the King, the Queen, Prince William, and the Princess of Wales. Upon arriving at the Quadrangle, a Guard of Honour will give a Royal Salute and the regimental band will play the British and German National Anthems for the group of six. The King and the President will then inspect the Guard of Honour, before the group view the military Rank and March past.
After that, it’s time for lunch, as members of the royal family gather in the State Dining Room for a meal with their German guests, ahead of a tour of a specially-designed exhibition of items from the Royal Collection with a link to Germany in the Green Drawing Room. President Steinmeier will then journey to No. 10 Downing Street for a meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and a group of British and German business leaders. Meanwhile, the First Lady will be in South East London, where she will tour the Judith Kerr Primary School, which is named in honour of the German-born British writer of The Tiger Who Came to Tea. The literary link will not be lost on Queen Camilla, who has long made literature one of her signature royal passions.
Plenty to discuss, then, at what many will consider to be the highlight of the visit: the State Banquet. Always an opportunity for the royal family to display their most dazzling jewels, the Banquet at Windsor Castle could see the Princess of Wales don her finery once more, following similar banquets held for Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron. King Charles and Queen Camilla will be in attendance, with both the King and the President set to deliver speeches before the meal commences. This is not the first state banquet that the King and Queen have enjoyed alongside the German head of state: the royal couple travelled to Berlin in March 2023 for their own state visit, where they were guests of honour at a banquet at Bellevue Palace.
The constant infantilization of William and Kate must stop – “crucial role” and “in a sign of their importance when it comes to matters of diplomacy…” Much like Ken’s job is “beach,” Scooter King’s job is “airport.” Just airport. I’ll even summarize the itinerary for December 4th and 5th, none of which involves William or Kate. The Germans will visit St. George’s Chapel, then they’ll join Charles and Camilla for the Big Help Out, then C&C will show the president the “state sleigh,” a gift from Prince Albert to Queen Victoria. Day 3 will have Steinmeier and Büdenbender doing political discussions in London, then meeting with German footballers (no William on the itinerary) and then a visit to the V&A Storehouse (no Kate on the itinerary, even though she’s the patron of the V&A museum). On Friday, there will also be another royal reception at Guildhall, but Princess Anne and Tim Laurence are hosting the Germans. At some point, hopefully very soon, there needs to be a conversation about the bar being set in hell for Will and Kate when it comes to state visits, soft diplomacy and “entertaining guests.”
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- WINDSOR, ENGLAND – JULY 08: Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales await the arrival of President Emmanuel Macron and Mrs Brigitte Macron on July 08, 2025 in Windsor, England. President Emmanuel Macron and Mrs Brigitte Macron visit the UK in the first visit State Visit made by France in 17 years. They are staying at Windsor Castle, hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, and a banquet will be held there in their honour. The Macrons will visit Imperial College, and the President will address Parliament during his stay.,Image: 1019677104, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson/Avalon
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- London, UK. 87th July, 2025. Catherine, the Princess of Wales and William, the Prince Of Wales. The King and, Queen, Prince and Princess of Wales and the French President and his wife, Mr and Mrs Macron, as well as the French Ambassador and others, take a carriage procession through Windsor and along part of the Long Walk leading to Windsor Castle as part of the French State Visit.,Image: 1019688100, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Imageplotter/Avalon
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- WINDSOR, ENGLAND – JULY 08: Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales attend the State Banquet at Windsor Castle on July 08, 2025 in Windsor, England. President Emmanuel Macron and Mrs Brigitte Macron visit the UK in the first visit State Visit made by France in 17 years. They are staying at Windsor Castle, hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, and a banquet will be held there in their honour. The Macrons will visit Imperial College, and the President will address Parliament during his stay.,Image: 1019895989, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson/Avalon
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- NMA POOL President Trump arrival Windsor Castle on his second state visit to the UK , the first time a president has been granted a second state visit .,Image: 1038093243, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Ian Vogler/Avalon
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- 17/09/2025. Windsor , United Kingdom. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump with King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton , the Prince and Princess of Wales, at Windsor Castle for the start of their State Visit to the United Kingdom.,Image: 1038113312, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Licenced to i-Images Picture Agency. All Rights Reserved. UK copyright law applies to all print & online publications. i-Images space rates apply to all images. Magazines contact agency for fees before use. Images Single use only then repro fees apply. Info@i-images.co Tel: 07860204379, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Stephen Lock / i-Images/Avalon
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales during the carriage procession to Windsor Castle, Berkshire, ahead of the ceremonial welcome on day one of the US President’s second state visit to the UK. Picture date: Wednesday September 17, 2025.,Image: 1038113632, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Licenced to i-Images Picture Agency. All Rights Reserved. UK copyright law applies to all print & online publications. i-Images space rates apply to all images. Magazines contact agency for fees before use. Images Single use only then repro fees apply. Info@i-images.co Tel: 07860204379, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Jordan Pettitt/Avalon
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- Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales (L), and Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales (R), travel in the Semi-State Landau with US Ambassador to the UK, Warren Stephens, and his wife Harriet C Stephens (unseen) during a horse-drawn procession towards Windsor Castle, at the start of a second State Visit for US President Donald Trump, in Windsor, on September 17, 2025. US President Donald Trump arrived in Britain for an unprecedented second State Visit, with the UK government rolling out a royal red carpet welcome to win over the mercurial leader.,Image: 1038113847, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Licenced to i-Images Picture Agency. All Rights Reserved. UK copyright law applies to all print & online publications. i-Images space rates apply to all images. Magazines contact agency for fees before use. Images Single use only then repro fees apply. Info@i-images.co Tel: 07860204379, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: ADRIAN DENNIS/Avalon
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- STATE VISIT BY THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.The President and First Lady will join The King and Queen, and The Prince and Princess of Wales, in a Carriage Procession through the Windsor estate, towards the Castle,Image: 1038114058, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Licenced to i-Images Picture Agency. All Rights Reserved. UK copyright law applies to all print & online publications. i-Images space rates apply to all images. Magazines contact agency for fees before use. Images Single use only then repro fees apply. Info@i-images.co Tel: 07860204379, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Paul Grover/Avalon
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales during the Ceremonial Welcome for the state visit to the UK of the President of France Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron, at Windsor Castle, Berkshire Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales, William, Prince of Wales Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 08 Jul 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- he Princess of Wales at the state banquet at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump’s second state visit to the UK Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 17 Sep 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales arrive for the state banquet at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump’s second state visit to the UK Featuring: William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 17 Sep 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
“Much like Ken’s job is beach, the Wales’ job is airport” DECEASED
🤣😝😁😂😛🤪
Always best to have the wales do meets and greets, all they are useful for. Far too dim for a real conversation
Surely they will both sparkle with their fluent German. What’s that you say? They don’t speak German? Well, of course they both must speak fluent French. No? They are both royal dunces.
And you look at someone like Philip. He was fluent in German and French and could speak and/or read some Greek, Danish and even a bit of Russian. (His grandmother Olga was a Romanov.) Charles is at least somewhat fluent in, I believe, French and German and he can understand some Romanian. It’s pretty shocking that a supposedly elite school like Eton doesn’t turn out students fluent in at least one other language.
Charles is able to give a speech in French and not make your ears bleed. William is unable to do that.
Completely agree
Both so childish ..
Feeling sorry for people living in Windsor by the new move by them.
People have to travel such a distance now to shop.. Its completely disgraceful..
How they moved elderly people from their homes in winter for their staff.
They only think of themselves so petty selfish behaviour from them.
The list of shit I could have gotten away with by being babied the way these two are is endless. They can’t be bothered to do what that country considers “work” on a regular basis but they’re ready when it comes to putting on expensive threads and stolen jewelry for foreign dignitaries.
They are both truly selfish people and I don’t know how much more the people of the U.K. take. Let us not forget the horrible, lazy, self serving example they are setting for their children.
I’m disgusted that the slob in chief goes to his klan rallies every weekend in Florida and we have to pay for it. Shameful all around.
They aren’t charming or witty or intelligent or learned .. nothing to offer, really. Kate do nothing will wear something hideous probably. Her hats are the worst. And Willie will clutch his jewels and stay away from her. Nothing of note to say to the visitors.
So until the disaster that will be their reign.. best to give them soft things to do.
Yeah, they’re the teenagers who can only be trusted with the airport run & showing up to dinner—preferably on time but you never know.
New job description unlocked: airport greeters. Heck, Walmart greeters have more of an impact than these two dullards.
Airport greeter is more than enough. Lightweight Kate couldn’t held up to our First Lady. Elke Büdenbender is a wise, well educated lady who has worked as a very well respected judge, even when her husband became president. She is interested in many aspects of life – except in doing little with posh accent…
I said this a few weeks ago but one of Kate’s big issues is on her surface she is what was expected of a fancy aristo wife a century ago – expensive finishing school (no insult to St Andrews but thats what it was for Kate), time spent on social scene, presented for marriage by her parents etc. (the actual consorts were a different story IMO in terms of languages, background, training etc.)
But that’s not what is expected now and its not what happens now. Intelligent, educated ambitious people tend to marry other intelligent, educated ambitious people (even if that ambition takes different forms.)
There arent many consorts, future consorts or political spouses in general who are as intellectually boring as Kate. Melania is one, which is why Kate and she did that private event. Most aren’t though and it shows.
Kate was outshown even by Melania which is saying something. Melania is at least bilingual.
Melania and Kate are also alike because they took the path of the courtesan to get the status of wife. There was no serious work to be a well rounded person. Both used sex to get their position and not intelligence.
That said Melania is smart enough to protect herself when things go wrong. Kate has not done this.
It’s like they purposely put them at events where they don’t have to engage with people for long periods of time one-on-one. At the airport you’re going to spend most of your time taking photos for the gathered press so you can only make the smallest of small talk, and at a banquet you’re going to be listening to speeches, or eating, so it’s going to be very general conversation with multiple people.
Even discounting his health issues Charles is in his late seventies he could die any day. I’m not sure if this is because William and Kate are too lazy to be given any other tasks because they aren’t sure that they’ll actually show up on time, or if this is Charles and Camilla purposely excluding them? I guess Charles has no reason to be concerned about how William’s reign goes he’ll be dead, but if your goal is the long-term success of the monarchy the people who are up at bat are both clearly unprepared.
Meeting the guests at the airport is not a “crucial” role. Considering that every British publication says this, I’m guessing that KP puts out a statement. It can’t be that Tatler come up with this nonsense on their own.
Oh, but it is most crucial and vital to the country. Imagine if W&K weren’t there to greet the German president and his wife. Why they would have to pick up their luggage by themselves and get an Uber to Windsor.
It’s just busy work too. Until they started assigning William and Kate with the Trumps, the ambassador of that country would greet the leader at the airport. It was fine for decades. One or two of the senior royals would then greet them at the palace. Either at the door or sometimes they’d meet Marine One. Having a royal greeting at the airport just adds to the programme for the visiting dignitary when they’d probably be happy to not have to deal and just chill in the car.
She’ll probably. Wear the awful long wig
It is weird that the German visitors are going to the V&A, and the patron isn’t coming with them. This is such an easy one for Kate, but goodness knows we can’t risk the peasants developing expectations!!
Don’t want to have the visitors learning that although Kate is the patron of the V&A, she is not familiar at all with the exhibits, the architecture, even where the tea room is. She’s pretty to look at, but there’s not much going on behind those eyes.
the way the press infantilizes these two is insane – “crucial role” – um they’re going to greet them at the airport and ride with them to windsor where they’ll meet the actual head of state.
Its interesting though bc someone has clearly decided that this is the most that W&K can or will do – the very visible airport greeting (so photo ops) and mayyyybe the state dinner (notice there is no confirmation here of their attendance.) Why aren’t they doing any of the other events? This is literally why royalists screech that a royal family is indispensable – for these kinds of diplomatic visits.
W&K wont visit other countries for work, and they’ll barely show up when other countries (so to speak) visit the UK.
Is their small part in these events because they won’t do anything else, or because they’re sidelined? And I dont think the sideline would be just from Charles. These kinds of visits are meticulously planned by the government. Is anyone there asking for W&K and being told no?
So just to recap, because no one in the British royal family will leave Windsor or prepare Kensington Palace in some manner, the state visitors have to go to Windsor, go back to London to meet the prime minister and actual members of the government, then go back to Windsor for the banquet, then go back to London. Escort or no escort, it is like going from Manhattan to Northern New Jersey 4 times in one day.
yeah it seems like a lot of back and forth to me. I understand why the meeting with the king and then prime minister are separate, but overall it just seems like it could be organized a little better that first day (the other days seem okay, better than with past Windsor state visits – the second day in Windsor and then the next two days in London.)
Having just done Windsor – London by car last month I can affirm that during the day that can be a 90-minute commute. Coming back to Windsor late at night it was 1 hour commute by car. Of course their motorcade will cut down on the time but still, it is a major time commit.
Ohh yeah, that’s a lot. That’s the problem with moving the headquarters to Windsor isn’t it. And all the rota have to troop back and forth as well.
But if they’re flying in to Heathrow, Windsor is very close.
It is, but in the past I think they flew to heathrow and took a helicopter to london and then stayed in london for the 2-3 day state visit.
now they’re going from windsor to london and then back to windsor then back to london. I’m sure its by helicopter but presumably not for all the staff.
What, no landmark speech?
That’s bc there’s a landmark airport greeting.
Will there be a strategic gust of wind and a flash of the royal gusset at the airport?
I think that the Biden state visit where Kate was given the added responsibility of hosting Dr. Jill Biden proved to everyone that Kate needs to be delegated to having limited interactions with intelligent people and given busy work where she can dress up. That is why the Trump state visit was her shining moment and she was once again given the task of entertaining the visiting dignitaries wife. She and Melania are essentially the same person so there was no concerns with intelligent conversations or doing anything other than playing dress up with their matching browns to go on their nature walk. They included some children for good measure and nothing else needed to be done beyond that because neither of them are capable of anything else. I think that is why both Will and Kate aren’t given anything more than just picking guest up at the airport and being there for the family meal. They have essentially become the deadbeat uncle in a holiday movie. Their call sheet for any state dinner with someone who isn’t the Trumps is “Go pickup the main character of the movie from the airport and make sure you look presentable for dinner”.
Where’s the Charles & Diana sparkle?
W&K could at least try!
Well, Germans consider them their royals, so perhaps they wont flop hard.
Dear Catherine,
No we don’t. You got the hanovarians in 1700, now they are yours (if you are British).
Well they are both so very good at school runs Chuckles can trust them with airport runs. Will there be theme dressing in red, gold and black?
Ha, yes! The school runs have prepared them for the landmark airport greetings.
I mean one day Will and Kate will be the actual hosts and will have to do more?! I expect everybody around them knows there limitations so things will have to be carefully stage-managed, gulp, to show them up to maximum advantage or will it be hiding them behind the largest flower decorations possible??
If they won’t go on any state visits then the state visits to Britain will probably dry up.
It’s becoming increasingly clear that W&K can’t be trusted to do more than an airport meet and greet. At their big ages. Quite frightening considering they are a heartbeat away from the throne. Their reign is going to be one giant car crash.
As for Charles & Camilla? Maybe they are being petty with the delegation of duties during state visits. We all saw Camilla’s snarl when Kate approached her & Melania. However, as many have stated above, Kate & William can’t help but put their foot in it when they are given something minuscule outside of posing for photos and walking to the banquet. They are hopeless.
Picking someone up from the airport is not adequate preparation for the throne. William’s reign is going to be a joke.
Agreed 💯 but it’s an extension of the school run? His special and unique talent as a parent is the school run detail so doing an airport swing by is no stretch for not multitasking Will.
So the First Lady is visiting places related to two of Kate’s “passions” but she wasn’t invited to go? Hilarious. The government knows she is worthless. And it reads like she and Scooter aren’t even confirmed for the state banquet. I bet she’ll beg off claiming she’s too busy planning her concert.
The tiger that came to tea was not my favourite Judith Kerr book, Mog’s christmas with its jolly uncle and two aunts on tippy-toe along with Mog and the baby were my favourites. I wonder if Kate will simper to President Frank-Walter Steinmeier as she did to Trump, it will be interesting to see.
So, Scooter is the official Uber. I’ve heard of Uber black but never Uber Royal.
To be fair, Charles and Camilla greeted heads of state all the time when Charles was Prince of Wales. It seems to me that initial meet and greets are carried out by the Crown Prince and Princess as a rule is fairly customary in European monarchies these days. It’s seems to be pretty clear now, that William is too lazy to exert himself to carry out anything more, and Kate is incapable it seems unless it involves children. Is Kate incapable of holding her own amongst a group of other adults?
Not at the airport though. Obama, Biden, Trump 1.0–that’s as far back as I looked—we’re all met at the airport by their respective ambassadors. Charles sometimes did an initial greeting at the residence before his mother received them. But he wasn’t ferrying people from the airport.
How does anyone make Dior look that bad?
I know, it should be impossible.
Her look needed to be pared right back, simplified: her hair should have been worn up and she needed to lose the pearl necklace – it may well have been QEII’s but it’s de trop here.
Carol’s styling? ……