The King and Queen have welcomed Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and his wife to London, marking the start of a three-day state visit that includes a military parade, carriage procession and state banquet.

The Prince of Wales had earlier travelled to the hotel where the 64-year-old emperor and Empress Masako were staying, before the trio arrived for a ceremonial welcome at Horse Guards Parade on Tuesday (local time).

The two heads of state, the King wearing a top hat, inspected the guard of honour as the rows of soldiers in their traditional scarlet uniforms and black bearskin hats stood in the summer heat.

They then travelled to Buckingham Palace in a gold-edged horse-driven carriage.

The King and Emperor Naruhito take the gilded carriage to Buckingham Palace. Photo: Getty

The emperor’s trip seeks to celebrate and deepen the military, cultural and scientific ties between Japan and Britain, and was postponed from 2020 due to the pandemic.

It is taking place in the run-up to the British election on July 4, meaning that some of the usual political elements will be missing.

There will be no meeting at Downing Street between the emperor and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, although Sunak and Opposition Leader Kier Starmer both attended the state banquet at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday night.

The visit comes at a difficult time for the British monarchy, after the King, 75, was diagnosed with cancer earlier in 2024, and as William’s wife Catherine continues preventive chemotherapy treatment for cancer.

In another setback, Princess Anne, the King’s younger sister suffered a head injury on Sunday after an incident believed to have involved a horse.

While she is expected to make a full recovery, she was not at Tuesday’s state banquet. The Princess of Wales was also absent.

Emperor Naruhito went to London in 2022 to attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, and is fond of Britain, having studied here in the early 1980s.

He has spoken of the kindness the British royals showed him at that time, including a visit to the royal family at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where the King took him fly fishing.

Prince William greets Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako at their hotel. Photo: Getty

The pair also had time to discuss those memories over lunch at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.

They then viewed Japanese-related items from the royal collection before a tour of Westminster Abbey in the afternoon.

-with AAP