Prince William was back at work today after enjoying the Taylor Swift concert in London with his children. He was photographed greeting the Emperor and Empress of Japan at their London hotel before being escorted to the Horse Guards Parade to be formally welcomed by the King and Queen as they embarked on a three-day state visit to the UK. The Prince of Wales was all smiles as he was the first member of the royal family to greet Emperor Naruhito and his wife Empress Masako at their hotel on Tuesday morning. The trio exchanged pleasantries and posed for pictures before making their way to Horse Guards Parade, where they received a Ceremonial Welcome. King Charles and Queen Camilla greeted a line of waiting dignitaries including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and military top brass on their arrival before formally welcoming the Emperor and Empress at the Royal Pavilion on Horse Guards Parade. King Charles and Emperor Naruhio were seen sharing a joke after warmly shaking hands under a large purpose-built pavilion that shielded them from the blistering summer sun. After King Charles and Queen Camilla greeted the Emperor and Empress of Japan, they inspected the horse guards before travelling together by carriage to Buckingham Palace. The King and the Emperor could be seen deep in conversation while inside the 1902 State Landau, while in the second carriage – a Semi-State Landau – Camilla accompanied the Empress, whose white face mask matched her dress. The Prince of Wales travelled in the third carriage – a Semi-State Landau – with Hirofumi Nakasone, the Japan party’s head of the official suite. As the carriages arrived at Buckingham Palace, the procession slowly made its way across the palace forecourt before passing under the central arch. The carriages travelled around the quadrangle, where they were met by a second Guard of Honour formed of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards. As the procession arrived at the Grand Entrance, the Japanese and British National Anthems were played. The Emperor and the King were in the first carriage and the Emperor clambered out first as it pulled up at the steps, followed by the King. The pair chatted amicably and enjoyed a brief chuckle on the red carpet as they awaited the arrival of their wives. The Queen and the Empress, who wore a white face mask due to a chronic horse hair allergy, got out of the second carriage and joined the King and the Emperor on the steps before they headed inside. A lunch has been scheduled which will be followed by a private viewing of items from the Royal Collection relating to Japan. Following the lunch, the Japanese royals will then travel to Westminster Abbey where the Emperor will lay a wreath of remembrance at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, before taking a tour of the world-renowned church. Later this evening, the King and Queen will reunite with the Emperor and his wife for a state banquet at Buckingham Palace held especially in their honour and featuring a glamorous white tie dress code that often sees royal women sport tiaras. Several other members of the royal family are expected to attend the event, including Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh. The Japanese visitors will spend seven days in the UK after arriving at Stansted Airport in Essex on Saturday to carry out private engagements before the official state visit. On Thursday, they will bid farewell to the King and Queen and privately visit St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle to lay a wreath on the tomb of the late Queen, before having a private visit to Oxford on Friday. Absent from the Ceremonial Welcome was Princess Anne, who suffered minor injuries to her head and concussion when she was reportedly kicked by a horse on her Gatcombe Park estate. Anne, a skilled horsewoman who competed in the 1976 Montreal Olympics, was walking on her Gloucestershire estate on Sunday evening when the incident happened and after being given medical care at the scene, she was taken to Southmead Hospital in Bristol by road for tests, treatment and observation. The 73-year-old will miss several engagements this week, including the state banquet and an overseas tour to Canada, which was due to start this weekend. The princess’s accident is the latest health upset to the hit the royal family this year, with the King and the Princess of Wales both being diagnosed with and undergoing treatment for cancer, and Sarah, Duchess of York, having skin cancer.
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