Images and symbols, especially when it comes to something as ethereal as monarchy, are everything. It's not that Germany is a second course for Charles III (his family has Germanic origins and speaks the language), but the original plan, with a cinematic vision, was to march through the Champs-Élysées, greet the public from the Arc de Triomphe and tour the Palace of Versailles, symbol of absolute power. But things don't always go as planned. The riots in France got in the way of his plans, and it was not something to appear on television in the middle of piles of garbage and a cloud of tear gas.
Since the order of the factors does not alter the value of the product, Germany replaced France yesterday as Charles III's first international destination. But with the same message: to restore relations with Europe after the drama, farce and pantomime of Brexit, and to show that the breakup of the EU does not have to mean - as the recalcitrant Eurosceptics, including Boris Johnson - wanted, a breakup with friends and allies of the continent. And for that, to use the soft power and fascination that British royalty inspires in many and everywhere.
Gone is the chrome of the Arch, and instead of that of the Brandenburg Gate, which as a symbol (of Prussian power, the arrival of Nazism, the division of Berlin, German reunification) has nothing to envy The hosts rolled out (literally) the red carpet for Carlos and Camilla, as if it were the Oscars, a military band played Déu salvi el rei, with the background of the Union Jack, the German flag and also that of the European Union. symbols
"We share the same history, the same culture, the same values", said the British King after being officially received by German President Frank-Walter Steinmaier. Elizabeth II's first official trip after her coronation was a tour of Commonwealth countries, and a section of the Conservative Party would have wanted her son to follow in her footsteps. But no, he has chosen Europe.
Although constitutionally he must not and cannot get involved in politics, Charles III is much more flexible about it than his mother, and makes no effort to hide his Europeanism and his passion for the environmental cause. He did this by receiving Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, in his castle, after she and Prime Minister Sunak reached a compromise to "improve" Brexit. And also yesterday in Berlin, on the first of three days of his official visit. He and Steinmaier, hand in hand, planted a tree in the gardens of the historic Bellvue palace, residence of the German president, after a reception with the central theme of promoting green energy (hours earlier, the palace of Buckingham had released the image of a new portrait of the monarch, on whose wrist a bracelet is visible as a symbol of commitment to the fight against climate change).
It cannot literally be said that Charles and Camilla received a crowd bath at the Brandenburg Gate because, for security reasons, everything was strictly choreographed, and the space was closed to the masses for security reasons. But there were enough people, natives and members of the British community in Berlin, some with paper crowns on their heads - like giving color to the photos and television images, and that flags of both countries appeared, and also of Ukraine (support for Zelensky's resistance is the other message the head of the Windsors wants to convey).
In a three-day visit to Germany, a country important in the British imagination because of the world wars and the UK's role in defeating Hitler, III will today deliver a speech in the Bundestag, emphasizing the need for greater cooperation possible between the United Kingdom and the European Union, especially in an increasingly polarized global scenario of Russian aggression, Chinese expansionism and questioning of globalization.
Charles will be the first British king to lay a wreath at a memorial to the German victims of Allied bombing in World War II. His mother chose not to do so and simply lit a candle for reconciliation, when in 1992 she visited Dresden – brutally and needlessly destroyed by the Royal Air Force at the end of the conflict – and the citizens responded with boos and throwing eggs on their way through the central market. The current monarch will be more empathetic, will bow his head and pray in silence in the church of Saint Nicholas in Hamburg. The German press says it will make history.
Charles III is not Elizabeth II, and, subtly, he wants to make his Europeanism clear. He has done it in Germany. Macron missed it.
