From Ethiopia to Chile,
Thailand to Bahrain, Iceland to the USA, The Queen has travelled to – or hosted
visitors from – a huge number of different countries. These visits, both
outward and incoming, play an integral role in strengthening Britain’s relationships
with countries across the world.
Who
Are the Visitors?
Foreign Monarchs, Presidents
or Prime Ministers are invited to visit The Queen on the advice of the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office.
The programme for outward
State Visits can vary widely, but incoming Visits usually feature a few regular
events.
How
Are the Visitors Welcomed?
Firstly, the Queen and other
Members of the Royal Family greet visitors with a ceremonial welcome, which
usually takes place on Horse Guards Parade.
The visiting party is invited
to inspect a Guard of Honour before travelling back to the Palace in a carriage
procession escorted by a large number of mounted soldiers from the Household
Cavalry. The welcome is accompanied by gun salutes fired from Green Park and
the Tower of London.
What
Else Happens During the Visit?
Usually, on the evening of the
arrival day, the visitors will be hosted at a State Banquet, which is a very
grand formal occasion held in the Buckingham Palace Ballroom. Around 150 guests
are usually invited on the basis of their cultural, diplomatic or economic
links to the country being hosted.
Before dinner is served, The
Queen makes a speech and proposes a toast to the visiting Head of State, who
replies and in return proposes a toast to Her Majesty.
For the remainder of the State
Visit, which normally lasts a few days, the visitor will meet the British Prime
Minister, Government ministers and leaders of the main political parties. They
may attend another Banquet hosted by the Lord Mayor and the City of London
Corporation, where they will meet leaders of commerce and industry.
Sometimes the Royal Collection
will display an exhibition of themed items, for example when The President of
the United Mexican States visited in 2015, a display of Mexican-themed objects
was displayed.
