Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako arrive at Stansted Airport, northeast of London, on June 22, 2024.
Benjamin Crimmel
The Emperor of Japan, Naruhito, and his wife, Empress Masako, arrive this Saturday (22) in the United Kingdom, in the midst of the election campaign, for a state visit, where they will be received by King Charles III.
This is the couple’s second foreign visit since Naruhito ascended the throne in 2019.
The 64-year-old monarch and 60-year-old queen, who landed at Stansted Airport, will begin their trip with private events on Sunday and Monday. The official three-day programme begins on Tuesday.
The main event will be a banquet at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, which has fueled speculation about a possible attendance by Princess Kate, wife of heir to the throne, William.
Catherine has been undergoing treatment for cancer and made her first public appearance in six months at the official birthday celebrations for King Charles III last weekend.
Naruhito will visit Windsor Castle and lay flowers at the grave of Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September 2022.
His funeral was attended by the Emperor and his wife, as well as many foreign heads of state.
For King Charles III, 75, the state visit will be his third state visit to the United Kingdom since he ascended the throne.
The king also suffers from cancer, which was diagnosed at the beginning of the year, but he resumed his public activities in April.
The Japanese Emperor was “very grateful” that King Charles III could welcome him.
Before Charles, Queen Elizabeth II hosted two Japanese monarchs during her 70-year reign: first Hirohito in 1971, and then his eldest son who became his successor, Emperor Akihito, in 1998.
Ahead of his visit to London, Naruhito on Wednesday recalled private moments spent with the British royal family.
During his two years of study at Oxford University in the 1980s, he spent a few days as a guest at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
“I have very fond memories of driving the Queen’s car and when she invited me to a barbecue […] and Prince Philip, who introduced me to [os lugares] Personally, I’m driving”, he declared.
On the last day of their visit, Naruhito and Masako will visit places he studied at Oxford University.
