President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Remi Tinubu have been accorded full military honours, including a 42-gun salute by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, as proceedings marking the Nigerian leader’s state visit to the United Kingdom commenced.
The Nigerian leader earlier received a formal ceremonial reception at Windsor Castle, indicating the official start of the high-level diplomatic engagement.
Ahead of the ceremony, the Prince and Princess of Wales, Pl William and Catherine, welcomed President Tinubu and his wife at the Fairmont Hotel before accompanying them to Windsor Castle, where they were received by King Charles III.
As part of the programme, both sides exchanged commemorative gifts, alongside a curated exhibition of Nigerian artefacts preserved within the Royal Collection.
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The visit will also feature a state banquet in honour of the Nigerian delegation, during which President Tinubu and King Charles III are scheduled to deliver formal remarks, with a distinguished audience of global leaders and notable personalities in attendance.
In furtherance of ceremonial obligations, the President and the First Lady are expected to lay a wreath at the resting place of Queen Elizabeth II within St George’s Chapel.
They are also billed to engage with organisations promoting interfaith dialogue, underscoring shared commitments to religious tolerance and social cohesion.
According to the official itinerary, President Tinubu will, on Thursday, hold talks with Keir Starmer, as well as interact with members of the Nigerian diaspora community. Notably, King Charles III had earlier hosted a reception for Nigerians resident in the United Kingdom at St James’s Palace.
The state visit is expected to further consolidate longstanding bilateral relations between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, with discussions centred on security cooperation, trade expansion, and governance, particularly within the context of evolving political developments.