Prince William and Princess Kate are set to play key roles during an upcoming state visit, representing King Charles by hosting international guests in the UK. The President and First Lady of Nigeria are scheduled to embark on a two-day trip starting in Windsor on Wednesday.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, along with the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, will be welcomed to the UK by King Charles and Queen Camilla. The royal couple will greet the Nigerian guests in London on Tuesday, with Prince William and Princess of Wales formally receiving them on behalf of the monarch the following day.
The Nigerian leader will be welcomed at the Fairmont Hotel in Windsor before proceeding to Datchet Road for a Ceremonial Welcome with Mr. and Mrs. Tinubu. Subsequently, King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Princess Kate will partake in a carriage procession to Windsor Castle.
At Windsor Castle’s Quadrangle, the carriage procession will be met by a Guard of Honour from the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, accompanied by the Royal Standard of the Regiment, the Corps of Drums, and the Band of the Regiment. The Guard of Honour will give a Royal Salute, while the Band plays both the Nigerian and British National Anthems.
The Nigerian President will inspect the Guard of Honour with King Charles before reuniting with the Queen and the First Lady on the dais. Following this, they will witness various military displays before attending a special exhibition featuring Nigerian items from the Royal Collection hosted by Charles and Camilla.
A State Banquet at St George’s Hall in Windsor Castle will be hosted by Charles, Camilla, and other members of the Royal Family, where both the King and the President will deliver speeches. On the final day, the Nigerian president will bid farewell to the King before proceeding to London for a meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
This state visit marks the first visit by a Nigerian president to the UK in 37 years and the initial state visit of the new year for King Charles. Previous state visits occurred in 1981 and 1973, while King Charles, during his time as Prince of Wales, visited Nigeria on four occasions between 1990 and 2018, with Camilla accompanying him during the trip in 2018.
King Charles and Mr. Tinubu share a positive relationship, having met previously at Buckingham Palace in 2024 and bonded during a meeting in Dubai at the COP28 summit in 2023.