Washington:  The White House announced on Wednesday that US President Joe Biden accepted Britain's King Charles' invitation to make a state visit.

The invitation was given during a Tuesday conversation in which Biden informed Charles that US first lady Jill Biden would attend his coronation. US presidents typically don't attend the coronations of British kings and queens.

The King's offer was gratefully accepted by the president, who is looking forward to the state visit, according to White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre. She stated that while she did not have a specific time frame for the visit, it would occur "shortly."

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During a high-profile visit aimed at strengthening ties between the two European superpowers, King Charles III made history on Thursday by becoming the first monarch to address the Bundestag in Germany.

Charles, 74, is travelling abroad for the first time as the new king of the United Kingdom. On Wednesday, he and Camilla, the queen consort, arrived in Berlin. The couple was welcomed by throngs of well-wishers and Germany's president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, at the city's famous Brandenburg Gate. Later, they went to a banquet held at the presidential palace in their honour.

Despite the pomp and royal glitz, the three-day visit has a very clear political objective. Following the traumatic Brexit process, the UK government is attempting to mend strained ties with its continental partners.

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The consequences of Britain leaving the common market of the European Union have been severe: there are now trade restrictions, a labour shortage, and Britain is no longer able to participate in important European science initiatives. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak seeks to normalise ties with the 27-nation bloc by giving France and Germany, the EU's two largest powers, special attention.

Charles had intended to stop in France first, but anti-government demonstrations there caused that portion of his journey to be delayed. That focused attention on Germany, a country that has long been interested in and enamoured of the late Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the UK royal family.

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However, not everyone enjoyed the visit. Charles speaking to the Bundestag, the nation's highest political body, was deemed inconsistent with Germany's democratic tradition by Jan Korte, a lawmaker from the opposition Left party.