Japanese Imperial Family Arrives for Official Visit to the British Royal Family – Monarchs Exchange Highest Honours [PHOTO]
The Japanese Imperial Family has arrived for official visit to the United Kingdom. King Charles III and Queen Camilla welcomed Emperor Naruhito of Japan and his wife Masako, marking the beginning of their three-day state visit to the country. This was reported by Kyodo and the Daily Mail.
Naruhito, 64, and Empress Masako, 60, stayed at Claridge's in Mayfair after arriving on Saturday. The official visit began on Tuesday afternoon and will last until Thursday morning.
This was the second overseas goodwill trip by the Japanese couple since Emperor Naruhito ascended the throne in May 2019. Initial plans for a visit in 2020 were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Prince William, the first in line to the British throne, welcomed them to a hotel in central London before heading to a Horse Guards parade for a ceremonial welcome accompanied by a 41-gun salute.
On Tuesday, it was announced that King Charles had been awarded Japan's highest honour, the collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum. In return, the emperor was appointed to the Most Noble Order of the Garter, Britain's highest knighthood.
After lunch at Buckingham Palace, the Imperial couple visited the Picture Gallery, where the King showed the Emperor an 1855 scroll once owned by Queen Victoria depicting the coronation of Emperor Goh-Mizunoo in the 17th century.
Later in the day, the royal couple laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey.
Along with the royal family, the royal couple exchanged greetings with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, as well as Foreign Secretary David Cameron and Home Secretary James Cleverly.
King Charles, who was diagnosed with cancer in February, and the Emperor viewed a guard of honour formed by the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards with the Welsh Guards Band playing the Japanese national anthem "Kimigayo" and the traditional folk song "Sakura Sakura" (cherry blossom) during the inspection.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, who is undergoing cancer treatment, is not expected to attend the state visit.
Naruhito and Charles met back in 1984, when Naruhito, the grandson of the then Emperor Hirohito, was a student at Oxford and spent a few days on holiday with the royal family in the Highlands. Naruhito also recalled how Charles taught him fly-fishing in the River Dee near Balmoral Castle. Empress Masako also studied at Oxford.
Naruhito became emperor in May 2019 after his father Akihito abdicated at the age of 85. The 126th monarch to occupy the Chrysanthemum Throne, he heads the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy in the world.
