#StateVisit
Diplomatic Dinners and Political Theatre
#StateVisit
Diplomatic Dinners and Political Theatre
State visits are like those big family reunions where everyone’s on their best behaviour, even though half the room secretly can’t stand each other and someone definitely owes someone else money. Leaders arrive grinning like cousins who haven’t spoken since that messy trade dispute, exchange gifts no one understands (“Thank you for this... ceremonial fishing spear?”), and endure elaborate dinners where nobody touches the food because they're too busy pretending to laugh at diplomatic jokes. There’s always one overeager staffer filming everything like it’s a wedding, and at least one awkward cultural moment that’ll live forever on the internet. It’s warm, weird, overly formal — and just like family, nobody really knows what they’re doing, but everyone claps anyway.
King Charles and Queen Camilla Conclude Well-Received Italian State Visit with Food Festivities
- Thursday, 10 April 2025
King Charles and Queen Camilla left Italy after a four-day state visit, where they received a warm reception from crowds. The trip included a meeting with Pope Francis, who wished them a happy 20th wedding anniversary, which they celebrated during the visit. They also attended a food festival, sampled local produce, and visited historic sites, including Dante Alighieri’s tomb. The King praised Italy and the UK for standing together to defend democratic values and supporting Ukraine in its hour of need. He also joked about the lavish state banquet dinner and emphasized the importance of friends standing together in difficult times, as seen in the joint flypast by the Red Arrows and Frecce Tricolori.
