Royal Visit to Germany: Berlin and Munich

Day 3:

This morning, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall carried out engagements in Berlin. The Prince of Wales firstly visited Barenboim-Said Akademie, which was opened in 2015 to support the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra and aims to unite young Arab and Israeli musicians. His Royal Highness undertook a tour of the Academy, hearing about its history and philosophy, and met some of the academy’s students. Following this, The Prince listened to a recital by string quartet in the auditorium. 

Next, The Prince was joined by The Duchess for a visit to the International Rescue Committee’s base at the Impact Hub. The Berlin office of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) was established in 2016 to assist with the integration of newly arrived refugees in Germany. The IRC works closely with Jobs4refugees, a non-profit service that coaches both refugees and employers to help address challenges such as language barriers and problems with the recognition of international qualifications. Their Royal Highnesses were given an overview of the project’s work, before sitting in on a workshop and meeting some of the participants and past beneficiaries.

In the afternoon, The Prince and The Duchess flew to Munich, where Their Royal Highnesses attended an official ceremony at Max-Joseph Platz. Having been greeted by Dr. Markus Söder, Minister President of Bavaria, Their Royal Highnesses inspected the Guard, made up of local mountain riflemen, and a three gun salute was given.

The Prince and The Duchess then visited Hofbräuhaus, one of the world’s most famous taverns. The Hofbräuhaus (Royal Brewery House) was commissioned in 1589 to supply the Wittelsbacher court and its servants with locally brewed beer. In 1828, the Hofbräuhaus was opened to the Bavarian public. Since 1980, the Hofbräuhaus has offered a weekly dance afternoon for the elderly with live musicians in the historic ballroom. Each Tuesday, over 150 elderly citizens take to the dance floor. During the visit, Their Royal Highnesses had the opportunity to speak to elderly dancers, before joining in themselves.

Next, The Prince of Wales visited Siemens. During the visit, The Prince heard about the headquarters’ architecture and the building’s sustainable technology. His Royal Highness also heard about Siemens’ relationship with the UK through renewable energy production and how Siemens UK trains its workforce.

To end the day, The Prince and The Duchess attended a dinner at the Munich Residenz. Their Royal Highnesses met local political figures, representatives of academic and research institutes which are collaborating with the UK, and members of the British community in Munich. Addressing the guests over dinner, The Prince said:

Bavaria, it seems to me, exemplifies so much of what makes Germany as special as it is, and such a vital and valued partner for the United Kingdom.  After all, Bavaria is a place that cherishes its rich cultural traditions whilst embracing the future and leading the way in so many areas.

Read The Prince of Wales’ speech in full here.