STATE VISIT BY THE EMPEROR AND EMPRESS OF JAPAN
Tuesday 25th June 2024
CEREMONIAL WELCOME ON HORSE GUARDS AND JOURNEY TO BUCKINGHAM PALACE
At Horse Guards Parade:
By 11.45am
A guard of honour, found by 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, with the King’s Colour, under the command of Major Rhydian Emyln-Williams, Welsh Guards, with the band of the regiment, is mounted on Horse Guards Parade having approached by way of Birdcage Walk.
Those who are to meet the Emperor and Empress of Japan arrive at the Pavilion on Horse Guards Parade.
By 11.50am
A Sovereign’s Escort, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Mathew Woodward, The Blues and Royals, with the Band of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, is formed up on Horse Guards Parade to the rear of the guard of honour having approached by way of Birdcage Walk.
By 12 noon:
The King and Queen arrive just before 12 noon. The guard of honour gives a royal salute and the National Anthem is played.
At the Royal Pavilion Their Majesties are received by Sir Kenneth Olisa, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London. The Silver Stick in Waiting, Lieutenant Colonel Roland Spiller and the Field Officer in Brigade Waiting, Colonel Guy Stone are present.
The King’s Life Guard turns out in the Tilt Yard.
By 12.10pm
The Procession of The Emperor and Empress of Japan crosses the Tilt Yard from Whitehall.
The King’s Life Guard gives a royal salute and the trumpeter sounds as the royal cars pass.
12.10pm
The Emperor and Empress are welcomed by the King and Queen at the Pavilion.
A royal salute of 41 guns is fired in The Green Park, London, by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, under the command of Major John Baileff, Royal Horse Artillery.
A royal salute of 41 guns is fired at His Majesty’s Fortress and Tower of London by The Honourable Artillery Company, under the command of Major Georgia Wade, Honourable Artillery Company.
The King presents to the Emperor and the Queen presents to the Empress:-
• Sir Kenneth Olisa, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London
• The Right Honourable Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister
• The Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
• The Right Honourable James Cleverly, Secretary of State for the Home Department
• Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli, The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of the City of London
• Alderwoman and Sheriff Dame Susan Langley, Sheriff of London
• Alderman and Sheriff Bronek Masojada, Sheriff of London
• Admiral Sir Anthony Radakin, Chief of the Defence Staff
• Admiral Sir Benjamin Key, First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff
• General Sir Roland Walker, Chief of the General Staff
• Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, Chief of the Air Staff
• Major General James Bowder, Major General Commanding the Household Division
• Sir Mark Rowley, Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
• Councillor Robert Rigby, The Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of Westminster
The guard of honour gives a royal salute and the Japanese National Anthem is played. The captain of the guard of honour states the guard.
The Emperor, accompanied by the King, inspects the guard of honour. The Queen and the Empress remain on the dais.
The Lord Ashton of Hyde, Master of the Horse, conducts the King and the Emperor to their carriage. The Comptroller conducts the Queen and the Empress to their carriage.
CARRIAGE PROCESSION AND ARRIVALS AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE
Carriage Procession
The 1902 State Landau
THE KING
THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN
Semi-State Landau
THE QUEEN
THE EMPRESS OF JAPAN
Semi-State Landau
THE PRINCE OF WALES
His Excellency Mr Hirofumi Nakasone, Head of the Official Suite
Semi-State Landau
His Excellency Mr Hajime Hayashi, Ambassador of Japan
His Excellency Mr Yasuhiko Nishimura, Grand Steward of the Imperial Household His Excellency Mr Koro Bessho, Grand Chamberlain to H.M. The Emperor of Japan The Lord Ashton of Hyde, Master of the Horse
Semi-State Landau
His Excellency Mr Junichi Ihara, Grand Master of the Ceremonies of the Imperial Household His Excellency Mr Yoshiji Nogami, Ambassador, Press Secretary to H.M. The Emperor of Japan and Special Assistant to the Miniter of Foreign Affairs
The Viscount Brookeborough, K.G, Lord-in-Waiting
Ascot Landau
Ms Yukiko Nishimiya, Chief Lady-in-Waiting to H.M. The Empress of Japan
Mr Takafumi Shimoda, Senior Commissioner Imperial Guard, Chief of Imperial Guard Headquarters
The Right Honourable Sir Clive Alderton, Principal Private Secretary to The King and Queen Mrs Belind Kim, Deputy Private Secretary to The Queen
Ascot Landau
His Excellency Mr Takehiro Shimada, Ambassador and Chief of Protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Mr Motoo Kakihara, Director, Western Europe Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ms Julia Longbottom, British Ambassador to Japan
Mr Richard Sciver, Husband of the British Ambassador
The Processional Route is:
The Mall
Queen’s Gardens (South Side)
Forecourt of Buckingham Palace (Centre Gate)
Arrivals at Buckingham Palace
By 12.10pm
A guard of honour, found by 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, with the regimental colour, under the command of Major William Harris, Grenadier Guards with the Band of the Grenadier Guards, takes position in the Quadrangle.
A dismounted Detachment of Household Cavalry is positioned in the Grand Entrance.
By 12.25pm
The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery is formed up at the west corner of the Queen Victoria Memorial.
By 12.30pm
The carriage procession arrives at the Grand Entrance. The guard of honour receives Their Majesties and His Royal Highness with a royal salute and the band plays the Japanese and British National Anthems.
STATE BANQUET, BUCKINGHAM PALACE
The Royal Procession:
THE KING, THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN
THE QUEEN, THE EMPRESS OF JAPAN
The Prince of Wales, Mrs. Cheryl Schonhardt-Bailey
The Duke of Edinburgh, Ms Julia Longbottom
H.E. Mr. Hirofumi Nakasone, The Duchess of Edinburgh
The Duke of Gloucester, Ms Yukiko Nishimiya
H.E. Mr. Yoshiji Nogami, The Duchess of Gloucester
H.E. Mr. Hajime Hayashi, Lady Radakin
H.E. Mr. Yasuhiko Nishimura, The Lady Mayoress of the City of Westminster
H.E. Mr. Koro Bessho, Dame Wendy Hall
H.E. Mr. Junichi Ihara, Lady Rowley
Mr. Takafumi Shimoda, Mrs. Murty
H.E. Mr. Takehiro Shimada, The Duchess of Norfolk
Mr. Motoo Kakihara, The Lady Chief Justice
Menu:
Langoustines d’Ecosse Sur Nid de Concombre et Mousse au Basilic, Elixir de Tomates
Délice de Turbot en Robe de Laitues Sauce à l’Oseille
Panache de Légumes d’Eté
Pommes Elizabeth
Salade
Bombe Glacé Melba
(English Translation)
Poached Scottish langoustines on a nest of Cucumber with Basil Mousse, chilled Tomato consommé
Baked Fillet of Cornish Turbot, with herb butter wrapped in lettuce, Sorrel Cream sauce
Selection of Summer Vegetables
Creamed Potato and Spinach Croquette
Salad of Green Beans and Quail Eggs
Ice cream bombe with peach Sorbet insert, on a bed of compressed peaches
Wine list:
Coates and Seely Brut Reserve NV
Kumeu River, Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2016
Château Angludet, Margaux 2014
Laurent Perrier Cuvée Rose NV
Music:
The Royal College of Music Senior Quartet – ‘Seion Quartet’
The King became Patron of the Royal College of Music in 2024 and has held a special relationship spanning more than 30 years. The college offers a number of exchanges with Japanese music conservatories and universities.
The Seion Quartet was formed in 2023. The word ‘Seion’ means serenity, purity, tranquillity, and tone of voice. The quartet choose this name as it gives an overarching description of how they believe music conveys a feeling to an audience, especially through the medium of a quartet.
Their repertoire includes a specially commissioned composition titled ‘Fingerprints in Amber’ by Jasmine Morris, a fourth year Royal College of Music scholar.
The members of the Seion Quartet are:
Joe MacDonald (Japanese – American Violinist);
Sally Aiko Dando (Spanish – Japanese Violinist);
Joe Berry (Viola);
Carys Underwood (Cello).
Official Harpist
Alis Huws is a soloist, orchestral and chamber musician. Alongside her role as Official Harpist, she regularly gives recitals across the UK and internationally, having toured to Japan, Europe, the US, Hong Kong and the Middle East.
Alis was privileged to perform at His Majesty King Charles III’s Coronation at Westminster Abbey. She performed Sir Karl Jenkins’ arrangement of Tros y Garreg (Crossing the Stone) for
solo harp and strings, as well as being a part of the prestigious Coronation Orchestra, formed specially for the occasion.
THE FAMILY ORDER OF KING CHARLES III
The State Banquet held in honour of The Empress and Emperor of Japan on 25th June 2024 will be the first occasion on which King Charles III’s Family Order will be seen, worn by Her Majesty The Queen.
The tradition of commissioning a Family Order, a badge worn by female members of the Royal Family personally bestowed by the Sovereign, was first established by King George IV (r.1820-1830) over two hundred years ago. Family Orders have since been instituted by Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, King George V, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.
The badge normally features a portrait of the Sovereign surrounded by diamonds and is suspended from a silk bow. Family Orders are worn pinned to the left shoulder at formal evening occasions when other orders and decorations are worn.
For His Majesty The King’s Family Order, created in 2024, the portrait miniaturist Elizabeth Meek, MBE was commissioned to paint The King’s portrait, having previously painted a miniature portrait of His Majesty, as Prince of Wales in 2005. The miniature is based on a photographic portrait by Hugo Burnand, taken in 2023. It depicts The King wearing the uniform of Admiral of the Fleet, the Sash of the Royal Victorian Order, the Garter Star and Thistle Star and the Garter Collar and Neck Orders of the Order of the Bath and the Royal Victorian Order.
The miniature is painted in oil on polymin. Following the tradition of previous Family Orders, the portrait has been mounted in a diamond-set white and yellow gold frame. The reverse, in yellow gold, has an engine-turned ground engraved with a sunray pattern, over which the King’s crowned cipher is superimposed. The back of the gold mount was expertly engine-turned by Seth Kennedy, a scholar of the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, awarded in 2018. The mount is suspended from a gold and enamel Tudor crown, for which the enamel decoration was carried out by the goldsmith and jeweller Fiona Rae, who established her business in 1990 after being granted a loan from the Prince’s Trust.
The design and construction of the order was realised by the Crown Jeweller, Mark Appleby, of Mappin and Webb, Jewellers, Goldsmiths and Silversmiths. The pale blue silk bow from which the order is suspended was made by the milliner, Philip Treacy.
The colour of the ribbon was personally selected by the King, and is based on the ribbon of the Family Order of His Majesty’s great-grandfather, King George V.
Background:
The miniature is painted on a synthetic material called polymin, rather than on ivory, as has traditionally been the case. Polymin is a translucent treated plastic sheet similar in texture to ivorine, which is a synthetic ivory made from cellulose nitrate.
The diamonds used are from the existing collection of loose stones in royal possession. They are brilliant-cut and have a total weight of 10.41 carats.
The Family Order has been crafted in 18-carat white and yellow gold that was already in royal possession.
The King has been Patron of the Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers since 2001.
Elizabeth Meek, MBE has been a portrait miniaturist for over 40 years. She first painted the King as Prince of Wales in 2005.
She was President of the Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers from 2004-2013 and President of the Society of Women Artists from 2000-2005.
Seth Kennedy is a watchmaker who specialises in rose engine-turning on watch cases. Engine-turning on watch cases is a critically endangered skill and in 2018 Seth was awarded a QEST Britford Bridge Trust Scholarship enabling him to train with two specialists in the field.
Fiona Rae is a goldsmith and jeweller who established her business in 1990 after being granted a loan from the Prince’s Trust (now the King’s Trust). She has since designed and supplied pieces to be given by the King as official gifts. Her pieces are handmade in the United Kingdom.
Mappin & Webb has more than 240 years of tradition and history in the world of silver and fine jewellery in the United Kingdom. First established by Jonathan Mappin in 1775, the firm is renowned for combining timeless craftsmanship with superior quality. Mark Appleby has been Crown Jeweller since 2017.
