In Britain, the Imperial Couple in Japan – Prince William’s reception, King Charles’ reception

The Japanese imperial couple arrives in Britain today for a several-day official visit.

Emperor Naruhito and his wife Masako plan to visit Oxford University, where they studied, and pay their respects at the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II, among other things.

The official ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, when Prince William will welcome the Japanese imperial couple, who will travel by carriage to Buckingham Palace, where King Charles will hold a reception in their honour.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Naruhito and Masako postponed their trip to the United Kingdom in 2020. Their first trip abroad after Naruhito’s accession to the throne was to attend the funeral of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.

At a news conference in Tokyo on Friday, the 64-year-old emperor spoke of the kindness he received from the British royal family when he was a student at Oxford University in the early 1980s, and noted that Queen Elizabeth invited him to Buckingham and she made tea. “I have fond memories of the hospitality” of the royal family, which “made me feel like I was part of it,” he said.

Emperor Naruhito did not fail to wish a speedy recovery to both King Charles and Princess Kate, who were recently diagnosed with cancer. He noted, “I understand that they are going through a difficult time, but I pray to God that their treatment will go smoothly and that they will recover quickly.”

As the visit of the Japanese imperial couple coincides with the election campaign in Britain, a meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Downing Street is not scheduled.