Queen Elizabeth II to make state visit to Slovenia, Slovakia
LONDON (AFP) — Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip will make a state visit to Slovenia and Slovakia in October, Buckingham Palace said Thursday.
The trip would be the first time the British monarch has visited the two countries, both former communist states which joined the European Union in 2004, although her son Charles, the Prince of Wales, visited Slovenia in 1998 and Slovakia in 2000.
"The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will make a state visit to Slovenia (October 21-22) at the invitation of the president of Slovenia, Dr Danilo Turk, and to Slovakia (October 23- 24) at the invitation of the president of Slovakia, Mr Ivan Gasparovic," a statement from Buckingham Palace said.
In June, Turk expressed delight at the Queen's planned visit, saying that his former Yugoslav republic enjoyed "traditionally good and friendly relations" with Britain.
