Next week, the King and Queen will extend a warm welcome to the President of the Republic of Korea, His Excellency Yoon Suk Yeol, and his wife, the First Lady, Mrs Kim Keon Hee, during an upcoming state visit.
Anticipate a grand display of ceremony and tradition, complete with a Guard of Honour and a state banquet scheduled in the itinerary – and yes, that means the royal ladies will be adorned with tiaras!
Prior to the state visit, Charles took the opportunity to immerse himself in K-pop music and Korean culture and cuisine during a visit to New Malden in southwest London earlier this month.
New Malden is recognized as one of the largest Korean communities in Europe.
Tuesday, 21 November
The Prince and Princess of Wales will officially welcome President Yoon and the First Lady on behalf of the King at their hotel on Tuesday.
Prince William and Kate will accompany the President and his wife to Horse Guards Parade, where a ceremonial welcome awaits.
Subsequently, the King and Queen will formally greet the President on Horse Guards Parade, where Charles and Mr Yoon will inspect the Guard of Honour, provided by F Company Scots Guards.
Following the ceremonial welcome, the President and the First Lady will join the King and Queen, along with the Prince and Princess of Wales, in a carriage procession along The Mall to Buckingham Palace, where a second Guard of Honour, presented by 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, will be in attendance.
After a private lunch at the palace, the King, Mr Yoon, and Mrs Kim will explore a special exhibition in the Picture Gallery featuring items from the Royal Collection related to the Republic of Korea.
The President and the First Lady, joined by the Duke of Gloucester, will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Korean War Memorial, marking the 70th anniversary of the war’s end.
Mr Yoon and Mrs Kim will also tour Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster before the grand state banquet at Buckingham Palace.
The King and Queen will host this white-tie dinner in the palace’s Ballroom, joined by senior members of the royal family, likely including the Prince and Princess of Wales. The dress code calls for evening gowns and tiaras for the ladies, while the men are expected to wear tuxedos, displaying royal orders.
Wednesday, 22 November
The President’s schedule for the day includes several meetings, including ones with Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the leader of the Labour party, Sir Keir Starmer.
The Duchess of Edinburgh will accompany Mr Yoon for a roundtable discussion at the Royal Society.
Later, the President and the First Lady, along with the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, will attend a banquet at the Guildhall hosted by the Lord Mayor and City of London Corporation.
Thursday, 23 November
On the concluding day of the state visit, the President will explore the Churchill War Rooms before returning to Buckingham Palace for a farewell with the King.
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