The King greeted them in Japanese with a warm ‘Welcome home to Britain’
The King, Queen and Prince of Wales rolled out the red carpet for the Emperor and Empress of Japan, welcoming them with a glittering state banquet at Buckingham Palace. It was the crowning engagement of a three-day state visit to the UK – the first since the King’s cancer diagnosis.
Emperor Naruhito and his wife Empress Masako were guests of honour at the lavish three-course dinner in the Ballroom, which had been decorated for the occasion with sumptuous silver gilt vases and candelabra from the spectacular 4,000-piece Grand Service, dating back to George IV.
Arriving in procession as the national anthem was played by the orchestra, Their Majesties took their seats at the top table, with the Emperor and Empress on either side of them.
The Prince of Wales, without his wife as she continues her recovery from cancer, sat on the other side of the Empress, while the Duchess of Edinburgh took her place to the right of the Emperor.
With the Princess Royal recovering from an accident on her estate, she was also absent from proceedings.
TRADITIONAL GREETING
After a drum roll, the King stood
