Prince William and Princess Kate are set to play significant roles during an upcoming state visit as they stand in for King Charles in welcoming international guests to the UK. The first state visit of 2026 will see the President and First Lady of Nigeria embarking on a two-day trip, commencing in Windsor on Wednesday.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, along with the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, will be visiting the UK as guests of King Charles and Queen Camilla. They are scheduled to arrive in London on Tuesday and will receive a formal welcome on Wednesday by Prince William and Princess of Wales on behalf of the monarch.
Following the reception of the Nigerian leader at the Fairmont Hotel in Windsor, the group of four will proceed to Datchet Road, where Mr. and Mrs. Tinubu will partake in a Ceremonial Welcome.
The official welcome of the Nigerian President and First Lady by the King and Queen will take place at the Royal Dais, accompanied by a Royal Salute at the Home Park in Windsor and the Tower of London. Subsequently, Mr. and Mrs. Tinubu will join Charles, Camilla, William, and Kate in a carriage procession to Windsor Castle.
Upon arrival at Windsor Castle’s Quadrangle, the carriage procession will be met by a Guard of Honour composed of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, displaying the Royal Standard of the Regiment. The Corps of Drums of the Battalion and the Band of the Regiment will be mounted in the Quadrangle, offering a Royal Salute and performing the Nigerian and British National Anthems.
Accompanied by the King, the Nigerian President will inspect the Guard of Honour before reuniting with the Queen and First Lady on the dais. Together with the Prince and Princess of Wales, they will witness the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery March Past, the Sovereign’s Escort Rank Past, and the Guard of Honour March Past.
Later in the day, Charles and Camilla will host Mr. and Mrs. Tinubu for a special exhibition featuring Nigerian-related items from the Royal Collection in the Green Drawing Room.
As per tradition for state visits, Charles, Camilla, and other members of the Royal Family will host a State Banquet at St George’s Hall in Windsor Castle, where both the King and the President will deliver speeches.
On the following day, the Nigerian president will bid farewell to the King before proceeding to London for a meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
This two-day event marks the first UK state visit by a Nigerian president in 37 years and the initial state visit of the year received by the King. The last visit by a Nigerian head of state to the UK occurred in 1989 when General Ibrahim Babangida, then military president, was hosted by Queen Elizabeth II.
Previous state visits were held in 1981 and 1973. During his tenure as the Prince of Wales, King Charles visited Nigeria four times – in 1990, 1999, 2006, and 2018, with Camilla accompanying him on the 2018 trip.
King Charles and Mr. Tinubu share a strong relationship, with the King hosting the Nigerian president at Buckingham Palace in September 2024. Their bond was further solidified during a bilateral meeting at a Dubai hotel while attending the COP28 summit in 2023.