London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jun 21, 2025

King Charles welcomes South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa at start of state visit

King Charles welcomes South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa at start of state visit

The King has welcomed South Africa's president at the start of the first state visit he is hosting as monarch.

King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, formally greeted Cyril Ramaphosa at Horse Guards Parade in London as the two-day trip began.

The president visited Westminster Abbey and is attending a banquet hosted by the King at Buckingham Palace.

Mr Ramaphosa's visit comes as South Africa struggles to tackle continuing power blackouts and high unemployment.

It is the first state for more than three years after they were stopped during the Covid pandemic.

The King is hosting a white-tie banquet at Buckingham Palace for Mr Ramaphosa on Tuesday evening where both men will give speeches.

The banquet is a key moment in the ritual of a state visit, with food and toasts in a splendid setting, with staff in tails ferrying food to tables that have taken five days to get ready.

It is where the vision of monarchy meets the realpolitik of trade and international relations.

For the visit of the South African president, the menu is grilled brill for a starter, a ballotine of pheasant for the main course and vanilla parfait with caramelised apples for a pudding.

This is being washed down with French and English wines.

The Prince and Princess of Wales met the South African president at his London hotel on Tuesday morning before escorting him to Horse Guards Parade for the ceremonial welcome with the King.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, along with Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Home Secretary Suella Braverman, were also at Horse Guards, where the president and King inspected soldiers from the Coldstream Guards.

More than 1,000 soldiers and 230 horses lined up on the parade ground in central London as part of the traditional opening of a state visit.

His Majesty then rode down the Mall with Mr Ramaphosa in a carriage procession to Buckingham Palace.

After lunch at the palace the King showed Mr Ramaphosa a selection of photographs featuring the Royal Family's connections with South Africa, including a 1996 picture of the former South African president and anti-apartheid campaigner Nelson Mandela at a Buckingham Palace state banquet.

Among the items was a copy of a speech the late Queen gave in Cape Town on her 21st birthday in 1947 where she pledged to dedicate her "whole life whether it be long or short" to service of the Commonwealth.


The president and King inspected Foot Guards from Number 7 Company The Coldstream Guards

Mr Ramaphosa spotted a photograph in the Royal Collection of the late Queen with Nelson Mandela

Mr Ramaphosa gave a speech at the Houses of Parliament attended by Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle

Mr Ramaphosa, who has been head of government in South Africa since 2018, followed the tradition of laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey, and addressed MPs and peers in the Royal Gallery of the Palace of Westminster.

BBC southern Africa correspondent Pumza Fihlani says the president is hoping to use the state visit to drum up support for UK investment in South Africa to bolster the country's economic development and industries.

But his visit comes at a time when Mr Ramaphosa is facing criticism over South African unemployment levels and a return to power outages affecting households, businesses and schools across the country - almost every day for a number of hours at a time.

This month he also said he would "step aside" if charged over an alleged cover-up of a robbery at his private farm, which he denies.

On the day the state visit in London began, Mr Ramaphosa received the backing of a majority of his African National Congress' 4,000 branches nationwide ahead of his party's leadership conference next month.

South Africa's First Lady, Dr Tshepo Motsepe, is reportedly recovering from eye surgery and was advised not to travel to London.
Mr Ramaphosa laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey


In a joint address to members of both Houses of Parliament on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Ramaphosa called for improved trade and investment links between the UK and South Africa to help his nation deal with its issues with power cuts.

He also said he would urge Mr Sunak to agree a three-fold increase in the number of South African university students coming to study for doctorates in the UK when they have lunch at No 10 on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the Earl of Wessex will escort Mr Ramaphosa to the Royal Botanic Gardens, at Kew in south-west London.

The South African leader will then visit Downing Street to meet Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, before returning to the palace to bid farewell to the King.

The president is also set to receive a call from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and attend a Guildhall banquet with the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
×