UK's King Charles bids farewell to Japan's Emperor Naruhito as state visit concludes
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 27: King Charles and Queen Camilla leave the Palace with Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan as they formally bid farewell on the final day of their state visit to the United Kingdom at Buckingham Palace on June 27, 2024 in London, England. Chris Jackson/Pool via REUTERS
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla met Japan's Emperor Naruhito and his wife to say goodbye on Thursday, at the end of a three-day state visit which has included a carriage ride, state banquet and visits to cultural and scientific centres.
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 27: King Charles and Queen Camilla smile and wave as they formally bid farewell to Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan on the final day of their state visit to the United Kingdom at Buckingham Palace on June 27, 2024 in London, England. Chris Jackson/Pool via REUTERS
The final meeting between the two royal couples took place at Buckingham Palace and comes towards the end of the 64-year-old emperor and Empress Masako's week long trip to Britain.
From the Palace, the Japanese pair were due to head to the Young V&A, a museum in east London which celebrates childhood and creativity, and currently has an exhibition called "Japan: Myths to Manga".
The pair were set to round off the public part of their stay at Britain's famous Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, west London, which is home to the world's largest collection of over 2.4 billion wild plant seeds including species from Japan.
Britain's Queen Camilla and Empress Masako of Japan embrace as she and King Charles formally bid farewell to Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan on the final day of their state visit to the United Kingdom, at Buckingham Palace in London, Britain, June 27, 2024. Chris Jackson/Pool via REUTERS
There, they will tour the giant glass Temperate House, built in 1863 and home to thousands of different plants as well as see a display of Bronze Bonsai sculptures by British contemporary artist Marc Quinn.
The two heads of state have been highlighting the military, business and cultural ties between Britain and Japan over the course of the visit, which has taken place in the run up to Britain's general election on July 4.
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 27: King Charles and Queen Camilla speak to Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan as they formally bid farewell to them on the final day of their state visit to the United Kingdom at Buckingham Palace on June 27, 2024 in London, England. Chris Jackson/Pool via REUTERS
That has meant the emphasis has been on the royal family, and there has been no meeting at Downing Street between the emperor and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Naruhito was also due to privately visit St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on Thursday, to lay a wreath on the tomb of Queen Elizabeth.
He attended her funeral in 2022 and last week before his trip to London, he had spoken of his fondness for her and the kindness the British royals showed him when he came to Britain in the early 1980s to study.
The Japanese couple both studied at Oxford and will visit their respective colleges on Friday, before heading home.
(Reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)