Upcoming Brazil-UK State Visit

I was interested to read the schedule for this week's state visit of the President of Brazil and his wife to the UK. I note that the Royal role seems to be limited
to the official welcoming ceremony (including the Duke of Edinburgh joining the
President to review the troops) and the state dinner at the Palace, both on the
day after President and Senhora Lula arrive. A few questions and comments:

Will a representative of the Queen greet the visitors at Heathrow upon their
arrival? None was mentioned. As they will be proceeding directly to the
Ambassador's residence, perhaps they will not officially "arrive" until the
welcoming ceremony?

The less active role for the Queen and the Duke seems absolutely appropriate for
a royal couple soon to be both in their eighties. No need for the monarch herself
to take them around to the sights, although it would perhaps be a nice touch if
other members of the royal family were utilized as hosts/hostesses during the
subsequent days of the visit.

Antonio...

I looked at the schedule of events (website of Brazilian Embassy in
London -- schedule posted in Portuguese), and it seems that HRH the
Duke of York will act as host at the Brazil-UK Business seminar in the
Hiton Park Lane Hotel (the schedule mentions that the Duke will deliver
remarks at 17:00hs of 8th March). The schedule also mentions an exhibit
of Brazilian elements of the Royal Collection in Buckingham Palace on
the 7th of March.

Antonio...

visiting

Is it usual practice for the Duke, rather than the Queen, to accompany a visiting
president on the review of the troops?

Antonio...

I believe it is.

Has a British monarch ever paid a state visit to Brazil? When was the last
time a Brazilian president (or, for that matter, emperor) paid one to Britain?

Antonio...

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II paid a State Visit to Brazil in 1968.

Guy Stair Sainty...

During which the then Foreign Secretary, the worse for drink, embarassed
himself considerably by approaching the Cardinal Archbishop of Sao Paolo
and invited him to dance, assuming that the person in the striking red
costume was a lady.

=?iso-8859-1?B?SmFuIEL2aG1l?=...

Hm. The Foreign Secretary at the time - November 1968 - was the Rt Hon
Michael Stewart, whose memory I believe you owe an apology.

Jan B=F6hme

Don Aitken...

I've always thought that this anecdote was a little too good to be
true! The version I know locates the incident in Peru, identifies the
ecclesiastic as the Cardinal Archbishop of Lima, and specifies that
the music being played was the Peruvian national anthem.

cj.buyers...

Not apprently the only diplomatic incident.

The Duke of Edinburgh was being introduced to a line of military types
then in control of the country. He came upon one general sporting a
WWII campaign medal and remarked with surprise that he had not known
that Brazil took part in the Second World War. It was something of a
sensitive subject because the Brazilian expeditionary force had not
arrived in time to do any actual fighting, only enough to qualify for
the minumum period for medals. The general replied to the duke "at
least sir, I did not get my medals for marrying my wife"

President Fernando Henrique Cardoso paid a one-week State Visit to
Britain in 1997.

There were several royal events in the 1997 State Visit (welcome
ceremony at Buckingham Palace, visit to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the
Queen Mother for tea at Clarence House, British State banquet at
Buckingham Palace, Brazilian State banquet attended by Her Majesty at
the Brazilian Embassy in London, bestowal by the University of
Cambridge of a doctor honoris causa degree upon the Brazilian president
in the presence of Prince Philip, etc).

President Fernando Henrique Cardoso returned to Britain in 2001 for a
less formal visit.