King Charles and Queen Camilla went vegetarian for a night as Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s State Visit to Windsor Castle made history on Wednesday.
The occasion marks the first time since 1928, during the reign of George V, that a Muslim head of state has undertaken a state visit to Britain during the Islamic holy month.
To honour President Tinubu’s faith and that of his delegation, the Royal Household implemented unprecedented modifications to traditional State Visit protocols.
The President and First Lady spent Wednesday night at Windsor Castle following the evening banquet, with their official farewell scheduled for Thursday morning.
“We are most grateful to you for travelling during this holy month, which, I acknowledge, is no small sacrifice,” the King said during his banquet address.
The banquet menu centred on vegetables and fish, sidestepping any concerns around halal meat requirements.
For the first time at a State Visit, canapés were offered before the formal dinner, enabling muslim guests to break their fast after sunset while waiting for the 9pm meal.
The traditional formal lunch with the Royal family was replaced by a private audience between the King and President Tinubu, respecting the daytime fasting observed during Ramadan.
A prayer room was made available within Windsor Castle, situated near the banquet hall for convenient access.
The customary bespoke cocktail created for State Visits was reimagined as an alcohol-free drink called the “Crimson Bloom”, drawing inspiration from Nigeria’s popular Chapman cocktail and featuring zobo made from dried hibiscus leaves, English rose soda, ginger syrup and lemon.
The King peppered his banquet speech with Nigerian proverbs, citing Yoruba wisdom that “rain does not fall on one roof alone”, the Hausa expression “when the music changes, so does the dance”, and the Igbo saying “knowledge is never complete, two heads are better than one”.
He concluded his toast with the phrase “Naija No dey Carry Last”, meaning “Nigerians never come last”, prompting President Tinubu to burst into laughter and applause.
The monarch also waded diplomatically into the contested territory of jollof rice, referencing a recent reception at St James’s Palace where he was assured the dish served was “only the best: Nigerian, of course… or perhaps Ghanaian or Senegalese. Diplomatically, I cannot remember.”
He signed off by wishing the president “and the millions of Muslims in our countries, Eid Mubarak”.
Senior members of the Royal family were all in attendance, with the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester all present.
The Princess of Wales selected a green gown by Singaporean designer Andrew Gn, echoing the dominant colour of Nigeria’s flag, paired with the Lover’s Knot tiara and earrings that belonged to Queen Elizabeth II.
Queen Camilla chose a cream embroidered dress by Fiona Clare, complemented by a sapphire and diamond tiara with matching earrings from the late Queen and her own diamond serpent necklace.
The 160 guests gathered in St George’s Hall included athlete Christine Ohuruogu, rugby player Maro Itoje, singer Tiwa Savage, author Sir Ben Okri, footballer Eniola Aluko, broadcaster Ade Adepitan and artist Yinka Shonibare.
During his speech, the King addressed the complex history between the two nations, acknowledging “chapters in our shared history that I know have left some painful remarks” in reference to the slave trade.
“I do not seek to offer words that dissolve the past, for no words can,” he said, adding that history should serve as “a lesson in how we go forward together to continue building a future rooted in hope and growth for all”.
The King described the relationship between Britain and Nigeria as “a partnership of equals” and “a deeply spiritual connection beyond churches and mosques” that has strengthened shared security and economic prosperity.
