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The Prince and Princess of Wales carried out a key role today welcoming the President and First Lady of Nigeria for a State Visit. Prince William and Kate greeted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his wife Oluremi Tinubu at Windsor’s Fairmont Hotel before escorting them to a ceremonial welcome with the King and Queen.
Kate chose an outfit by British-Nigerian designer Tolu Coker for the occasion. The designer was described at this year’s London Fashion week as “a young British-Nigerian Fashion and Textiles Designer, Illustrator and Multi-Disciplinary Artist based in London.” King Charles attended Coker’s show last month and sat in the front row.
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The Waleses in Windsor.
Following the ceremonial welcome at Windsor’s Datchet Road, during which both national anthems were played, the royals and presidential couple traveled in carriages through the streets of Windsor. The King was in the Australian State Coach with President Tinubu, followed by Queen Camilla in the Scottish State Coach alongside the First Lady. William and Kate were in the Irish State Coach alongside Lateef Fagbemi, Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Honourable Minister for Justice, and Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
This is the first State Visit to the UK from a Nigerian President in 37 years, but it is not the first time President Tinubu has visited the UK since taking office in 2023. He previously saw King Charles at Buckingham Palace in 2024.
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President Tinubu, King Charles, Queen Camilla, and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu.
“The state visit comes a few months after the UK Government published it’s ‘new approach to Africa’ (December 2025),” UK’s Parliament notes. “The new approach seeks to provide a framework to further UK partnerships with African states for ‘mutual long-term benefit,’ and reflects a shift from ‘paternalism to a partnership of respect and equality,’ according to the Minister for Africa, Baroness Chapman.”
The President and First Lady of Nigeria arrived into the UK last night. They were greeted at Stanstead airport by Mark Bevan, Deputy Lieutenant of Essex, on behalf of The King, and by Ambassador Mohammed Maidugu, who is the Acting High Commissioner of the Nigerian High Commission. Later today, the couple will view items from the Royal Collection in Windsor Castle’s green Drawing Room and lay a wreath at Queen Elizabeth’s tomb in St. George’s Chapel. Tonight, they will be treated to a State Banquet in Windsor Castle’s St. George’s Hall.
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The Princess of Wales and the Nigerian First Lady.
The presidential couple will bid farewell to the King and Queen in Windsor tomorrow morning and travel to London to visit Westminster Abbey. Then, the President will meet Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at Downing Street while the First Lady will visit Lambeth Palace for a reception.
State Visits are being hosted at Windsor while Buckingham Palace undergoes an extensive £369 million refurbishment. This is the first State Visit of 2026. Last year, three visits were hosted in Windsor; the French President in July, U.S. President in September, and theGerman President in December.
Town & Country Contributing Editor Victoria Murphy has reported on the British Royal Family since 2010. She has interviewed Prince Harry and has travelled the world covering several royal tours. She is a frequent contributor to Good Morning America. Victoria authored Town & Country book The Queen: A Life in Pictures, released in 2021.