Merkel, German well-wishers fete Britain’s queen
BERLIN: Chancellor Angela Merkel joined Berliners in rolling out the red carpet for Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday, with the monarch warning against a ‘division in Europe’ as Britain debates its EU future.
Dyed-in-the-wool fans and tourists braved leaden skies to line the banks of the Spree River where the 89-year-old queen and her husband, Prince Philip, 94, kicked off a state visit with a brief boat trip though the capital’s political district.
As the open-air boat ‘Ajax’ came into view with its German flag fluttering in the wind, cheers rippled through the crowd patiently waiting for a glimpse of the royal couple, who waved back.
“Your majesty”, shouted one hopeful onlooker; another played Britain’s National Anthem on a mobile phone. Cellphone cameras held high tried to capture a fleeting moment of the queen’s fifth state visit to Germany.
Some waved British flags; others talked about the queen’s attire — an elegant white dress coat with a brimmed hat and gloves. But the much discussed colour palette of her wardrobe was not the only quality admired.
“Her charisma, her discipline and the lovely clothes!” enthused Berlin resident Roswitha Meiritz, 76, who said she had a fascination with the queen and had also gone to see her on her first state visit in 1965.
The queen went on to meet Merkel at the chancellor’s ultramodern offices. Merkel also held talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron in Berlin as he seeks support from the eurozone’s top economy for his EU reform wish list.
At a state banquet later, the monarch warned against complacency in Europe. — AFP