Queen to visit Bergen-Belsen on German tour

Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh set off on a tour of Germany today (June 23), which amongst other duties will take them to the remains of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. The royal visit has been arranged at the invitation of the German President Joachim Gauck.

According to the BBC’s royal correspondent, the Queen’s private plane will be guided into Berlin airport by a Luftwaffe guard and she’ll receive a 21-gun salute on arrival.

The royal couple will attend events in Berlin and Frankfurt, before travelling on to Bergen-Belsen in the north of Germany, which was liberated by British troops 70 years ago. At the camp, which is now a memorial to the victims of the holocaust, the Queen will meet survivors and liberators. The visit has been described as personal and reflective, and will be carried out with a minimum of ceremony.