King and Queen bond with South Korean First Lady over pet dogs on state visit
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The King and Queen bid a warm farewell to the South Korean President and the First Lady at Buckingham Palace, having bonded over their love of dogs.
Camilla told the President’s wife Kim Keon Hee at the Grand Entrance: “Lovely to meet you”, with the King saying: “Hope the dogs are ok”, as he gave the First Lady a gentle double pat on the arm.
President Yoon Suk Yeol and Mrs Kim have a menagerie of 11 pets – six dogs and five cats – some of them rescue strays, waiting for them at home.
Camilla has two beloved terriers, Beth and Bluebell, which she rehomed from the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
Charles, in a smart morning suit ahead of audiences at the Palace, and Camilla, in a bright blue royal dress, waved and smiled to Mr Yoon and Mrs Kim, who was dressed in a white jacket and skirt and yellow blouse, as they departed.
Mr Yoon thanked the King for his hospitality, giving him a warm double handshake.
Just before stepping into his car, the President turned and bowed to Charles.
Shortly after, the King met four Korean war veterans from the Royal Hospital Chelsea in the grand Marble Corridor after they were invited to the Palace in recognition of their service during the conflict.
Peter Fullelove, 91, who served in the Black Watch, John Riley, 91, and George Reed, 90, of the Royal Engineers and Trevor John, 92, of the King’s Liverpool Regiment – all dressed in their scarlet Chelsea pensioners coats, chatted with the King and Queen.
The UK visit coincides with the 70th anniversary of the armistice of the Korean War.
Mr Fullelove, who was parachuted into what was then known as Malaya, joked with the King about the perils of all the “bloody trees” and trying to find space to land.
He said of the King, who is Colonel-in-Chief of the Parachute Regiment: “That brought a smile to his face.”
Charles has his own experience of tricky parachute drops and once got caught upside down during his first skydiving attempt in the 1970s.
Mr John, who was seriously wounded with a mortar bomb in Korea in 1952, chatted to Charles about the conflict, with the King describing what he went through during the war as a “tough” experience.
The three-day state visit saw Mr Yoon honoured with a glittering state banquet attended by more than 170 guests including K-Pop girl band Blackpink, who were later personally presented with honorary MBEs by the King for their green efforts.
On Tuesday, the Queen gave Mrs Kim a pashmina hand embroidered with the Mugungwha – the national flower of South Korea – and the names of the First Lady’s dogs, created by embroiderers from The Royal School of Needlework.
Mrs Kim has been a vocal critic of dog meat consumption.
It was reported last week that South Korea aims to ban eating dog meat and put an end to the controversy over the ancient custom amid growing awareness of animal rights.
Mr Yoon was welcomed to Downing Street on Wednesday by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to sign The Downing Street Accord – a long-term agreement covering defence and technology co-operation.
