Britain’s King Charles III on Thursday, March 30 became the first British monarch to address the Bundestag, the German parliament, paying tribute to the deep longstanding ties between the two nations.
The British sovereign is in Germany on the inaugural state visit of his reign with the Queen Consort until Friday.
Alternating between German and English in his speech, Charles said it was a ‘great honor’ to be addressing the Bundestag, adding he was proud to be in Berlin to ‘renew the special bond of friendship between our two countries.’
He said the friendship between the two nations ‘meant so much to my beloved mother,’ who spoke often of her visits to the country.
Charles then discussed the war in Ukraine, and praised the countries’ support of Kyiv.
‘Countless lives have been destroyed; freedom and human dignity have been trampled in the most brutal way. The security of Europe has been threatened, together with our democratic values,” he said.
‘Even as we abhor the appalling scenes of destruction, we can take heart from our unity – in defense of Ukraine, of peace and freedom.’
‘In the long and remarkable story of our two countries, there are many chapters yet unwritten.
‘Let us fill these with the restless pursuit of a better tomorrow. The legacy of our past, and the great promise of our future, demand nothing less,’ he concluded, before receiving a standing ovation which lasted nearly two minutes.
The monarch’s speech also touched on cultural connections, technology and even soccer — referencing England women’s football team’s 2-1 win against Germany at Euro 2022.
On Thursday morning, King Charles met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Following his address at the Reichstag, the King will visit a refugee center supporting Ukrainians displaced by the war.
The three-day trip is Charles’s 29th official visit to Germany, though he has traveled to the country on more than 40 occasions.
