King wants to ‘make state visit to India’ at earliest opportunity
The King has told a peer of his desire to make a state visit to India “at the earliest opportunity” now that he is monarch.
Lord Karan Bilimoria said that the King made the comments to him at a reception in parliament for MPs and peers to mark his Coronation.
“We spoke about the importance of a state visit to India, because I recently led the first parliamentary delegation to India in six years, and he said he’d love to go there soon,” the British Indian businessman said.
The King’s remarks come after the Queen decided to avoid stoking a diplomatic row with India by opting against wearing the controversial Koh-i-Noor diamond at the Coronation.
She instead has chosen to wear Queen Mary’s crown reset with the Cullinan diamonds, becoming the first consort since the 18th century to reuse a crown at a coronation.
A descendant of the Indian emperor who presented the diamond to the Royal family in 1849 said his family had demanded its return, previously telling the Telegraph: “It’s an issue between Royal families – Britain and Sikh.
“India should stop playing politics over it. India is not interested in its return, they don’t want to spoil relations with the UK”.
It is the first time the King has expressed a wish to visit the country since he ascended the throne.
Speaking to the Telegraph after the event, Lord Bilimoria, a crossbench peer, said he told the monarch that “people there were saying it’d be wonderful if the King could make a state visit to India as soon as possible, and I said they would love to see you there.
“I said it would help us a lot, because his visit would really help with our trade relationship – we’re signing a free trade agreement. He said ‘well I’d love to go’.”
The King has undertaken one state visit since he ascended to the throne, which was a three-day trip to Germany with the Queen at the end of March. Their Majesties have yet to set a date for the postponed state visit to France, which was called off by President Macron at the eleventh hour amid violent clashes over pension reforms. However, it is likely to be rescheduled for the beginning of summer.
The King spoke with Lord Bilimoria during the reception on Tuesday afternoon, where he met with the Prime Minister, the Opposition Leader and hundreds of MPs, peers and Parliamentary staff.
It was a chance for the King and Queen to meet with politicians ahead of the historic occasion, as most of them were not invited to attend the ceremony owing to limited space.
Lord Bilimoria, the former president of CBI, said: “He’s been to India many times.
“He knows India well, he loves India, and he has many friends there. I know he would genuinely want to visit at the earliest opportunity as King.”
