The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh hosted an historic State Visit when President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation and Mrs. Putina were their guests at Buckingham Palace.
The event was the first State Visit to the UK by a Russian leader since Tsar Alexander II was a guest of Queen Victoria in 1874.
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The Queen and President Putin, The Duke of Edinburgh and Mrs. Putina listen to the playing of the national anthems of the UK and the Russian Federation on Horse Guards Parade during the ceremonial welcome |
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President Putin was met at Heathrow airport by The Prince of Wales, who escorted the Russian party to Horse Guards for a ceremonial welcome by The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and members of the Government and Armed Forces.
Accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, President Putin inspected a guard of honour mounted by Nijmegen Company, Grenadier Guards.
The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, President and Mrs. Putina set off in carriages for the State drive down the Mall to Buckingham Palace, base for the leader's three-day visit.
In the gardens of Buckingham Palace the President witnessed a ceremony returning the Colour of the Russian Life Guards Grenadier Regiment.
He later visited Westminster Abbey and the Soviet World War II Memorial in Southwark, and received leaders of the Opposition parties at Buckingham Palace.
The traditional State Banquet took place in the evening, attended by members of the Royal Family, the Government, politicians and other British and Russian representatives.
During the banquet, The Queen made a speech in which she welcomed President Putin to the UK: "We support your efforts to create a modern, prosperous and dynamic state, and we look forward to working with you on this and on many international questions on the basis of our shared values."
In his speech the President reflected on the long-standing relationship between Russia and the UK: "Here, at Buckingham Palace, the foundation stones of which were laid back in the eighteenth century, it is appropriate to remember that the history of official relations between Russia and Britain reaches far back indeed, farther back than the century in which this palace was raised."
He also paid tribute to The Queen's role in furthering that relationship: "We all remember your visit to Russia in 1994, which gave a powerful impulse to developing these ties. This visit has left warm memories in the minds of the Russian people."
The second day of the visit featured a trip north to Edinburgh, celebrating the strong connections between Russia and Scotland. The Duke of York accompanied President Putin and Mrs. Putina during the day.
At Edinburgh Castle the Russian leader was shown a portrait of Tsar Nicholas II in the Scottish National War Museum. The picture commemorates the fact that Nicholas II was Colonel in Chief of the Royal Scots Greys from 1895 until his execution in 1918.
President Putin then visited the Signet Library in Edinburgh's Parliament Square, a magnificent Georgian working library used by lawyers in the Society of Writers to Her Majesty's Signet.
Speaking at the library to an audience of politicians, church leaders, lawyers and academics, President Putin paid tribute to Scots who had influenced Russia over the course of history. He recalled that a soldier from Aberdeenshire, Prince Mikhail Barclay de Tolly, led the Russian army to victory against Napoleon in 1812.
President Putin also paid tribute to the work of Charles Cameron and William Hastie, Scottish architects who built many buildings and bridges in St. Petersburg.
After lunch at the Palace of Holyroodhouse with The Duke of York, the President and his wife visited a display of work by Fabergé, court jeweller to the last tsars, in the new Queen's Gallery at Holyroodhouse. The collection includes four of Fabergé's jewelled Easter eggs.
In the evening the President and Mrs. Putin attended a dinner at London's Guildhall, as guests of the Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Gavyn Arthur. Prince and Princess Michael of Kent were also present; Prince Michael is a fluent speaker of Russian.
The banquet marked the day, 450 years previously, when Richard Chancellor accidentally discovered the northern route to Russia via the White Sea, which led to the formation of the Muscovy Company in 1555.
The third day of the visit was spent in London. President Putin attended the opening of the Russia-UK Energy Conference at Lancaster House, before visiting the Tower of London and St. Paul's Cathedral.
He held talks with Prime Minister Tony Blair and held a press conference at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
Later the President travelled with The Duke of York on the Royal Nore downriver to Greenwich, where he visited the R.F.S. Neustrashimy, a Russian frigate. The ship's visit to Britain was timed to coincide with that of President Putin. From there the party travelled to the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.
In the evening President and Mrs. Putin held a return banquet at Spencer House, which The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh attended.
President Putin, Mrs. Putina and their party returned to Moscow the following day.
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