German president to tour cathedral ruins

The Duke of Kent is set to visit the remains of Coventry Cathedral together with the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and his wife, Elke Budenbender, to honor the anniversary of the Coventry Blitz. The visit will take place on Friday as part of a three-day state visit organized by the King and Queen of the United Kingdom.

During the visit, Prince Edward will join President Steinmeier and Ms Budenbender to lay a wreath at the old cathedral ruins, followed by a tour of the newly rebuilt cathedral. This state visit marks the first by a German president in 27 years.

The commemoration coincides with the 85th anniversary of the Coventry Blitz, which occurred in November 1940 during World War II. The bombing resulted in the deaths of 568 people and the destruction of approximately 4,300 homes.

A prayer service will be held at the cathedral to emphasize its ongoing dedication to peace and reconciliation. Coventry maintains twinning relationships with the German cities of Kiel and Dresden, reflecting their shared history of wartime bombings.

The previous German state visit to the UK was in 1998 when Queen Elizabeth II welcomed President Roman Herzog at Windsor Castle.

Author: Sophia Brooks