King Charles is hosting the first Nigerian state visit to the United Kingdom for 37 years, with President Bola Tinubu and his wife, Oluremi Tinubu, given a ceremonial welcome at Windsor Castle.
Tinubu and his wife were greeted by senior royals, including Queen Camilla, and the Prince and Princess of Wales.
The King and President Tinubu will give speeches on Wednesday evening at the state banquet, which will be attended by political leaders and celebrities with links to Nigeria.
However, there will be no traditional lunch with the King at Windsor as the president is a Muslim and fasting for Ramadan.
The president and first lady, who arrived in the UK on Tuesday, were given the ceremonial grandeur of a royal welcome, with a carriage procession and then a military parade on the manicured lawns inside Windsor Castle.
They were met by Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, at the luxury spa hotel Fairmont Windsor Park before being escorted to the town to formally meet the King and Queen.
As the carriage procession carrying the King and president arrived at Windsor Castle’s quadrangle, they were met by a guard of honour and the band of the Grenadier Guards, which played the Nigerian and British national anthems as they travelled round the square.
In the spring sunshine, Tinubu then ceremonially inspected the troops on display, with King Charles walking a few steps behind.
State visits are a way of building relationships with international partners, and Tinubu’s visit will see a strengthening of business links, including financial services.
“This state visit is about turning a historic relationship into a modern economic partnership, transforming trust into opportunity,” said the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris.
“Nigeria’s economic reforms are unlocking the potential of Africa’s largest consumer market. The United Kingdom is a natural partner in what comes next.
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“This visit marks the next step in deepening co-operation across trade, finance and defence,” said Idris.
Later, there will be exchanges of gifts and displays of items related to Nigeria that are kept in the Royal Collection, before an opulent state banquet in St George’s Hall.
Tinubu and his wife are scheduled to lay a wreath of flowers on the tomb of the late Queen Elizabeth II, in St. George’s Chapel.
The couple will also attend an interfaith event, designed to build bridges between religions.
On Thursday, Mrs. Tinubu is set to preach at a service at Lambeth Palace and meet representatives from the Church of England.
