King and Queen start Italian State Visit during wedding anniversary

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King Charles III and Queen Camilla have started their State Visit to Italy.

The British Head of State and Consort were given the red carpet treatment by the Italians as they disembarked Vespina - Britain's equivalent of America's Air Force One - at the airport in Rome ("Vespina" takes her name from a genus of moths).

The State Visit coincides with their 20th wedding anniversary, which is on 9th April.

 

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A new photo of the King and Queen, taken at the British ambassador Lord Llewellyn's residence in Rome to mark their 20th wedding anniversary, which is on Wednesday during their Italian State Visit.

 

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Italy hopes that the State Visit of the King and Queen of a "soft power superpower" will strengthen her commercial relationship with Britain, particularly when it comes to olive oil.

Britain - the world's sixth-largest economy and the second-largest in Europe after Germany - is the world's second-biggest consumer of Italian olive oil after the USA.

In a world of Trump tariffs, the Italians have been determined to "woo" Charles and Camilla as soon as Vespina landed...

 

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King Charles III is given warm welcome by Italian President Sergio Mattarella in Rome



The King and Queen received a ceremonial welcome full of pomp and pageantry hosted by the president of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, as their state visit began in earnest.

Charles and Camilla stood as they observed the British and Italian national anthems played by a military band.

Nearby lined up along a red carpet stood a guard of honour formed of the Quirinale Band, troops from the Italian army, navy and air force, the Carabinieri and mounted Corazzieri guards.

 

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King Charles III and Queen Camilla paid their respects by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Altare della Patria, Rome’s large national monument to Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of a unified Italy.

The royals enjoyed renditions of the British and Italian national anthems played by military bands at the monument.