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As it happened: The Queen's first day in Berlin

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24 Jun, 2015 Updated Wed 24 Jun 2015 11:52 CEST
As it happened: The Queen's first day in Berlin

Queen Elizabeth II has a packed programme in Berlin on Wednesday. Check back here throughout the day for regular updates.

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Please refresh the blog regularly to see our live updates - press F5 or the refresh button on your browser.

15.45 - The Queen is on her way back to her accommodations at Hotel Adlon for a break after a day full of chit-chat with German President Joachim Gauck and Chancellor Angela Merkel, as well as stops at a war victims' memorial and a lecture by British art historian Neil MacGregor.

Later in the evening, she is set to attend a state banquet hosted by Gauck and by the next morning on Thursday, she will be jetting off to Frankfurt for some garden partying and more site-seeing. 

Check back then for more updates and read below for all the fanfare of her tour's first full day in Berlin.

15.30 - The Queen is soon leaving the Technical University where she viewed some student robot projects, listened to a concert and heard British art historian Neil MacGregor speak. But first, she must sign the university guest book.

15.20 - After a concert for the Queen, Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Joachim Gauck and others, her Majesty has been invited to view some students' gadgets at the Technical University, like a small robot taught to properly greet royalty.

14.50 - The Technical University lecture by British art historian Neil MacGregor has been focused at the moment on animals, discussing how the UK was the first country to have animal protection charities and a law defining animals' rights. 

14.40 The Queen has arrived at the Technical University of Berlin (TU) for a lecture by British art historian and current director of the British Museum Neil MacGregor.

"Today, the Queen's lecture is a highlight of our academic year," the university president told the crowd at the talk.

14.30 - The Queen is reportedly on her way to the Technical University of Berlin to hear a lecture.

14.00 - The Queen will soon stop by the Technical University of Berlin (TU) for a lecture by British art historian and director of the British Museum Neil MacGregor.

"We're both museum studies students and we're actually very excited to see Neil MacGregor," Andreas Sternberg and Nina Franzkowiak told The Local at TU, both clutching paper Union Jacks as the university prepared for the Queen's arrival.

"Of course, it's the highest honour there is that the Queen is coming to visit, but for us MacGregor is the main event. We've just gotten back from London where we were studying museum culture in Britain, so we wrote a letter especially to be allowed in here."

13.50 - Students and choir singers at the Technical University of Berlin are waiting for the Queen to arrive. The singers are set to perform for Her Majesty.

"We're big fans of the Queen, but not necessarily Great Britain," students Jana and Marie told The Local as they warmed up for the performance to welcome her. "We'd love to visit and we love Harry Potter and everything, but the Queen is an exciting personality by herself.

"We were already fans before we found out a month ago we'd be performing."

13.10 - Chancellor Angela Merkel's head spokesman shared a video of the German leader showing the Queen around her Chancellery.

In the video, Merkel explains shows off she hosts other important world leaders, points out where the Berlin Wall used to be and shares some details about her youth in the former communist East Germany.

13.00 - The Queen will next head to the Technical University of Berlin. 

12.45 - The Queen has arrived at the Neue Wache Memorial for victims of war and dictatorship to lay a wreath and hold a moment of silence in remembrance.

12.30 - The Queen's visit has perhaps overshadowed the fact that British Prime Minister David Cameron is also set to visit with Merkel in Berlin today, though his meeting to discuss EU matters will probably have much less fanfare.

12.20 - After having a chat with Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Queen is set to lay a wreath at the Neue Wache Memorial for the victims of war and dictatorship at 12:45pm.

12.08 -

12.03 -

11.56 - These people have got very excited indeed:

11.52 -

11.47 - Here are a few of the people lining the route the Queen's boat has taken:

11.43 -

11.42 -

11.32 -

11.30 - “My plan is to take a selfie with the Queen in the background to keep as a memory,” Jessica Camier Gliszczynski, a 19-year-old Berliner, tells reporter Jörg Luyken as she waits beside the River Spree to spot the Queen.

“I was nine the last time she was here. The next time will be in ten years. She's not that young any more.”

11.28 - The Queen is now aboard her boat and ready to set off to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel

11.23 - people are already draping Union Jacks over the bridges on the Spree in anticipation of the Queen's arrival:

11.20 - Our reporter Jörg Luyken is on the ground by the river Spree:

10.56 - The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will have a private chat with the President and his partner before heading to their next appointment with Chancellor Angela Merkel. Stay tuned for more updates soon!

10.53 -Gauck was speaking English during this artistic interlude:

10.50 -

10.48 -

10.45 - The Bundeswehr are serenading the Queen with her favourite song:

10.42 - There's a large detachment of soldiers just itching to show off their prowess:

10.39 - The Queen has signed the presidential guestbook:

10.38 - And here comes the Queen through the Tiergarten towards Bellevue:

10.32 am -

10.30 am - The British Embassy has tweeted a photo of the Queen as she left the Adlon hotel:

10.28 am - The military guard of honour is already waiting outside the presidential palace:

10.27 am - The Queen is off to meet the President in the official Bentley:

10.21 am  - Everything is ready for the Queen to begin her day, with her car waiting outside her hotel:

10.15 am - Good morning, and welcome to The Local's live blog of the Queen's first day in Germany on her fifth state visit since 1965.

It's a busy programme today, taking in some of the most important people and sites to be found in Berlin.

At around 10.30, the Queen will arrive at Schloss Bellevue, the official residence of the President of Germany, to be welcomed by President Joachim Gauck.

After a bit of hob-nobbing, he'll escort Her Majesty and the Prince of Edinburgh aboard a boat, which will carry them along the River Spree past crowds of admirers towards the heart of German government - the Kanzleramt (Chancellery) and the Reichstag building, seat of the Bundestag (German parliament). The river trip should start around 11.30.

Chancellor Angela Merkel will welcome the Queen to the Kanzleramt, her own place of work, at about midday as she steps off the boat.

From there the two will head to the Neue Wache - Germany's Central Memorial for the Victims of War and Dictatorship - to lay a wreath in remembrance at around 12.45.

After that, the Queen will be present for the 50th anniversary Queen's Lecture by Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum and future head of the new history museum being erected on the site of the former imperial palace in Berlin, at the Technical University of Berlin at around 2.30.

The rest of the afternoon will be left for a break, until a ceremonial dinner with President Gauck, Chancellor Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron, once again at Schloss Bellevue at around 8pm.

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