German president visits memorial

THE German president and his wife have attended a wreath-laying ceremony with the Duke of Kent at a cathedral that was bombed during the Second World War, on the final day of their historic state visit.

- SOPHIE ROBINSON

The duke greeted Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Elke Budenbender on Friday in the ruins of the old Coventry Cathedral, which was destroyed by Luftwaffe bombs in November 1940, to mark a “story shaped by destruction, rebuilding and courageous friendship”.

‘The visit to Coventry, which is twinned with Kiel and Dresden in Germany over their shared experience of bombardment, marks 85 years since the air raid on the West Midlands city.

The duke was greeted by the Bishop of Coventry, Sophie Jelley, the city’s Lord Mayor, councillor Rachel Lancaster, and the Dean of Coventry, the Very Reverend John Witcombe, whom he said good morning to.