Prince William and his wife, Princess Kate, took center stage as King Charles hosted Nigerian President Bola Tinubu at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, March 18, in the first state visit by a Nigerian leader in 37 years.
Tinubu and his wife, Oluremi, were received by Crown Prince William and his wife Kate for the trip to Windsor Castle.
They were then greeted by the King and Queen before a full ceremonial welcome with a royal salute, a carriage procession and a state banquet.
Kensington Palace released the video update on the Prince and Princess of Wales’ official Instagram account.
The royal couple were all smiles as they posed with Nigerian guests and greeted them at the Fairmont Hotel in Windsor.
Kate and William have been the first royals to host visiting dignitaries for recent state visits.
Britain’s monarch, 77, is set to highlight deep cultural and commercial ties during Tinubu’s two-day visit.
The UK is home to a large Nigerian diaspora, with around 300,000 Nigerians living in the UK.
Major change in the state visit at the last minute
The royal family’s first official state visit of 2026 is finally underway, however there is one traditional aspect of this week’s state visit that is different from usual.
There was no welcome lunch. This is because the president is Muslim and fasts for Ramadan.
Their visit falls at the end of the holy month, when many Muslims fast and abstain from eating or drinking between dawn and sunset.
The program has been specially adapted, with the monarch receiving the president during an audience in the afternoon instead of hosting the usual welcome lunch.
