King Charles III of the United Kingdom | The Royal Correspondent

*Portrait courtesy of Buckingham Palace/Chris Jackson*

In Madrid, the entry into force of the agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom on Gibraltar has opened a new chapter in relations between the Kingdom of Spain and the United Kingdom. Separately, a report published by El País indicates that discussions are underway regarding a future state visit by Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom.

According to journalist Miguel González of El País in Spain, Casa de Su Majestad el Rey and Buckingham Palace have been discussing a future state visit by Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom. Mr. González reports that the visit is expected to take place during the second half of 2027, although no official announcement has been made.

The Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the Kingdom of Spain, His Excellency Alex Ellis, said it would be “an honour” to welcome His Majesty King Charles III to the Kingdom of Spain, adding that such visits have historically been complicated, in part because of Gibraltar.

The agreement, which entered into force this week, removes routine border controls at the Gibraltar–Kingdom of Spain frontier and is intended to facilitate the movement of people and goods while preserving the longstanding positions of both the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Spain on sovereignty.

At this time, however, neither Casa de Su Majestad el Rey nor Buckingham Palace has announced a date or officially confirmed a state visit. According to El País, discussions between the two royal households remain ongoing.

If the visit takes place, it would be the first state visit by a British monarch to the Kingdom of Spain since the late Queen Elizabeth II in October 1988. It would also reciprocate the state visit made by Their Majesties King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain to the United Kingdom in mid-July 2017.

*Official portrait courtesy of Buckingham Palace/Millie Pilkington, 2025*

Last Thursday, in East Sussex, His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom presided over the inauguration of the King Charles III England Coast Path and formally opened the Seven Sisters National Nature Reserve.

The inauguration comes as part of a wider program to create or expand 25 National Nature Reserves following His Majesty’s Coronation, with the project now reaching its halfway point.

According to Buckingham Palace, the King Charles III England Coast Path is a 2,700-mile National Trail and the longest continuous managed coastal walking route in the world, connecting well-known landmarks with lesser-visited areas and opening sections of England’s coastline to the public for the first time.

The route follows the entirety of England’s coastline, including its inlets and estuaries, contributing to its overall length. It passes through a range of protected landscapes, including chalk cliffs, salt marshes, and ancient woodlands, and is intended to support both physical and mental well-being through access to the natural environment.

The Seven Sisters National Nature Reserve is the 13th to be designated within the King’s Series of National Nature Reserves, which aims to create or expand 25 reserves by 2027.

Its chalk landscape plays a significant role in supplying clean water to nearby towns, including Eastbourne and Seaford, while also supporting surrounding marine ecosystems, including rare species such as the short-snouted seahorse.

For more information on the King Charles III England Coast Path, see the official overview published by the UK Government in the links below:

National Trails United Kingdom

King Charles III England Coast Path | UK Government

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