Britain’s King Charles III delivers a historic speech to the German Bundestag in Berlin

Britain’s King Charles III became the first monarch to address Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag, on Thursday in a high-level visit aimed at strengthening ties between the two European powers.

Charles, 74, is on his first trip abroad since becoming king. He and Camilla, the Queen Consort, arrived in Berlin on Wednesday.

Crowds of well-wishers and Germany’s head of state, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, greeted the couple at the capital’s iconic Brandenburg Gate. They then attended a banquet in their honor at the presidential palace.

The glitz and royal glamor aside, the three-day visit has a decidedly political purpose. The British government is trying to restore frayed ties with its continental partners following the painful process that preceded and followed the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union.

Watch our live coverage of the King’s Speech on the video player above.