On Tuesday, the Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will begin a three-day state visit to the UK with a magnificent supper hosted by their host, King Charles III.
The pair traveled to the UK on Saturday and spent the weekend attending unofficial events, such as a tour to the Thames Barrier and an audience with Japanese citizens living in the country.
However, the actual fanfare starts on Tuesday at London’s Horse Guards Parade with a ceremonial welcome. There, the national anthem of Japan will be performed and a guard of honor will offer a royal salute.
Naruhito, 64, and Charles, 75, will then inspect the guard of honour before taking part in a carriage procession to Buckingham Palace for lunch.
The king will take the emperor and empress to see a special exhibition of items from the Royal Collection relating to Japan, before heading to Westminster Abbey to lay a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior.
The evening will feature the state banquet at Buckingham Palace, which is the highlight of any official visit to the UK.
Attendees will include the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, the king, Queen Camilla, and the head of the Labour Party, Keir Starmer, who is predicted to win the election next month.
With Prince William’s wife Catherine undergoing cancer treatment, it is all eyes on her potential return to the kingdom. Catherine hasn’t been seen at an official engagement since December of last year.
The king’s sister, Princess Anne, was supposed to attend, but she will now miss it to recuperate in the hospital from a concussion and other minor wounds after reportedly being hurt by a horse.
