King Charles welcomed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu of Nigeria to Windsor Castle for a two-day state visit, hosting a state banquet in St George’s Hall on Wednesday evening.
Speaking to 160 guests, the King addressed the Nigerian community in the UK in Yoruba, calling it a “living bridge” connecting the two nations. He described Nigeria as “an economic powerhouse, a cultural force and an influential diplomatic voice” and reflected on the shared history, acknowledging the “painful marks” of colonialism. “I do not seek to offer words that dissolve the past, for no words can,” he said, adding that he hoped for a future “worthy of those who bore the pains of the past.”
The banquet accommodated the fasting month of Ramadan, with a prayer room provided and the usual royal lunch omitted. Guests were served a meat-free menu including soft boiled quail egg tartlets, fillet of turbot with lobster mousse and seasonal vegetables, and an iced blackcurrant soufflé with red fruit coulis. A non-alcoholic cocktail called the “crimson bloom,” combining Nigerian Zobo drink with English rose soda, hibiscus, and ginger syrup, was created for the occasion, alongside fine wines, port, and whisky. 
High-profile attendees included England rugby captain Maro Itoje, Olympic athlete Christine Ohuruogu, poet Sir Ben Okri, former footballer Eni Aluko, space scientist Dame Maggie Aderin, Nigerian pop star Tiwa Savage, and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
The state visit began with a ceremonial welcome at Windsor Castle in warm spring sunshine. President Tinubu and the First Lady arrived in traditional robes and were greeted with a carriage procession, a military band performance, a gun salute, national anthems, guard inspections, and a Household Cavalry parade. Official gifts were exchanged, including hand-crafted pottery and silverware for the Nigerian visitors, and a Yoruba statuette and jewellery box for the King and Queen.
The visit comes amid security concerns in Nigeria, where suspected suicide bombings in Borno state killed at least 23 people and injured 108 this week, attacks attributed to Boko Haram militants.
Nigeria’s government spokesman Mohammed Idris said the visit aims to “turn a historic relationship into a modern economic partnership—transforming trust into opportunity,” noting that economic reforms are opening Africa’s largest consumer market and that the UK is “a natural partner in what comes next.”
