Visits on this level have not been held in Great Britain for two years.
The ceremonial welcome of Vladimir Putin and his wife with Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh was held at the Horse Guard parade grounds. Royal British guardsmen greeted the Russian President with a salute. A welcome ceremony on the Horse Guard square is the highest honour that the Queen can bestow on a head of state who is in the country on a state visit.
The program of Vladimir Putin’s visit to Great Britain features many cultural and political events. It is conducted in observance with the British protocol for receiving high-ranking guests, protocol that has been established over the centuries.
In an interview with the BBC just before the visit, President Putin said that this visit to Great Britain was a reflection of the new quality of relations between the two countries.