German president to visit cathedral ruins

German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Elke Budenbender will land in the UK on Wednesday morning

The Duke of Kent will visit the ruins of Coventry Cathedral alongside the president of Germany and his wife to commemorate the Coventry Blitz.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Elke Budenbender will visit the ruins on Friday as part of a three-day state visit hosted by the King and Queen.

Prince Edward will accompany Mr Steinmeier and Ms Budenbender to lay a wreath at the old cathedral before carrying out a tour of the new one.

Mr Steinmeier's state visit is the first by a German leader in 27 years.

This year marked the 85th anniversary of the Coventry Blitz in November 1940, during World War 2, in which 568 people were killed and 4,300 homes destroyed.

A prayer service will be held to highlight the church's commitment to peace and reconciliation.

Coventry is twinned with the German cities of Kiel and Dresden in recognition of the shared experience of the bombings during the conflict.

The last German state visit took place in 1998 when Queen Elizabeth II hosted president Roman Herzog at Windsor Castle.