The King’s speech at the State Banquet at the Quirinale Palace, Italy

Signor Presidente, la ringrazio sinceramente per le sue gentili parole e ringrazio lei e la Signora Laura per la magnifica ospitalità qui stasera.

[Mr President, thank you most warmly for those very kind words – and I thank you and Signora Laura for your magnificent hospitality here this evening.]

Today marks, as you say, The Queen’s and my twentieth wedding anniversary.

On that score, I must say it really is very good of you, Mr. President, to lay on this small romantic, candle-lit dinner for two...!

È davvero speciale poter trascorrere questo momento qui in Italia, un Paese al quale io e La Regina siamo profondamente affezionati.

So che anche lei festeggia un anniversario importante, signor Presidente.

Mi permetta, quindi, di renderLe omaggio per i Suoi dieci anni come Presidente, il più longevo d’Italia, e per la grande stima e l’affetto di cui gode.

[I can only say that to be able to spend this moment here in Italy, a country of which The Queen and I are so deeply fond, is truly special.

I know that it is an important anniversary year for you too, Mr. President.

So, may I pay tribute to your ten years as Italy’s longest serving President, and the esteem and affection in which you are held].

I need hardly say that the United Kingdom and Italy have a relationship that goes back many centuries. After all, this peninsula has had a profound impact on British history and culture.

There is, of course, the influence of the ancient Romans – who first landed in the South of England in fifty-five B.C. – and, I suppose it is fair to say, were not met with exactly the warmest of British welcomes...!

But I, for one, have never asked that question – made famous by Monty Python – “what have the Romans ever done for us?” We see their imprint on what they knew as Britannia every day – from London to Carmarthen, from York to Hadrian’s Wall.

Italy has succeeded, where Rome failed, in extending its influence to all corners of the United Kingdom – not least thanks to a beloved diaspora whose charm has proved mightier than the sword.

Tomorrow, I look forward more than I can say to my first opportunity to visit the magnificent city of Ravenna – where Lord Byron and other Romantic poets spent time.

It is not hard to see what drew them here. Today, our ties are stronger than ever. So different in many ways, we are two countries that are fond of each other, admire each other and respect each other.

Certainly, Italy has always had a very special place in my heart, and my wife’s. For instance, I can scarcely believe that this is my eighteenth official visit to your wonderful country over a period of forty years.

My great, great, great, grandmother, Queen Victoria, clearly found great solace in coming to Florence and painting watercolours of the Italian countryside – something I have tried to do myself over the years.

It is also moving to think that my great, great grandfather, King Edward VII, and my great-grandfather, King George V, both spoke at State Banquets in this very Palace over a century ago – proof of how our ties have endured, whatever the twists and turns of history.

In King Edward VII’s case, his first State Visit was to Italy.  He sailed into Naples, and on the approach said that he preferred to arrive incognito. I understand that this posed some difficulty, as the Royal Yacht was accompanied by eight battleships, four cruisers and four destroyers – my arrival at Ciampino airport was positively low-key by comparison. Though I am most grateful to your Airforce, for our special escort into Italian airspace.
 
Today, I am delighted to say that the ties between us are thriving – from Governments and Parliamentarians, to the arts and science, from business to sport.

I see so many people here this evening from a multitude of backgrounds who are contributing to this flourishing relationship every day – often while exhibiting unmistakeable Italian style, as so many of you are doing so beautifully here this evening.

Mr. President, as you so rightly said, we cannot escape the fact that we are living in a very precarious and fragile world – a world that is changing so fast around us, with such a huge impact on our peoples.

As we face those challenges, we are doing so not alone, but together – as friends, as allies, as partners in Europe and beyond.

We are protecting our planet and its future for our children and our grandchildren – where we have so much we can achieve together, as I saw at an inspiring round-table on clean growth with British and Italian business leaders this afternoon.

We are generating growth and jobs, through the burgeoning trade between us.

We are standing up for our values and the liberty we hold so dear, from Ukraine to the Middle East.

Or in defence, where our cooperation is strengthening all the time, both between our Armed Forces and our new Global Combat Air Programme with Japan.

Ciò riflette una semplice verità: nei momenti difficili, gli amici restano uniti.

È quindi un immenso piacere essere qui per celebrare non solo i nostri legami storici, ma soprattutto i legami di oggi e quelli che stiamo forgiando per il futuro.

[This reflects a simple truth: in difficult times, friends stand together.

It is therefore the greatest pleasure to be here to celebrate not only our historic ties, but above all the ties of today and those we are forging for tomorrow.]

The Queen and I look forward very much, we hope, to returning to this eternally fascinating city and to this irresistible country in the years to come.

So, let me propose a toast, Mr. President – here, in the Eternal City – to the friendship between our nations, and the hope that this too may be eternal...