State visit by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh to Latvia

Photo by Juris Krūmiņš

With the festive welcoming ceremony at Riga Castle yesterday the state visit of HM Queen of the United Kingdom Elizabeth II officially started. Upon the arrival to the airport of Riga the Queen was welcomed by the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Imants Freibergs as well as the Ambassador of Latvia to the United Kingdom Indulis Berzins. After the ceremony the President and the Queen met for a conversation in the Coat-of-Arms Hall of the Riga Castle. After that Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh signed in the Honorary Guest Book. In the Blackheads House the official state luncheon took place organized in honour of Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburg by the President of Latvia and Imants Freibergs. During the dinner the delegations of Latvia and UK’s society were addressed by both Vaira Vike-Freiberga and the Queen of the United Kingdom.

Hundreds of people welcomed the Queen and the President of Latvia at the Monument of Freedom where wreath laying ceremony took place. It was followed by unveiling the monument to a Mayor of Riga George Armisted in front of the Opera House. In the Arena Riga thousands of children from all Latvia together with the Queen and the President watched the musical project devoted to the society integration “Together”. In the evening the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Latvia Ian Bond organized a reception in honour of Her Majesty Elizabeth II.

Today the Queen will visit the Museum of Occupation, listen to the performance of several choirs in Ratslaukums and depart from the President to continue her Baltic State visit in Estonia.