The Portuguese and British air forces will fly over Lisbon on Sunday at 12:00 pm to celebrate the 650th anniversary of the British-Portuguese Alliance, the British Embassy in Portugal announced today in a press release.
In addition to the Portuguese F-16s, the “Red Arrows”, officially known as the “Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team”, are an acrobatic squadron of the UK’s Royal Air Force.
“This event takes place in the year that celebrates the 650th anniversary of the Luso-British alliance, the oldest military and diplomatic alliance in the world, and following the commemorative ceremonies that took place today in London, in the presence of King Charles III and President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa,” said the British Embassy.
According to the statement, on Sunday, Portuguese Red Arrows and F16s “will fly in formation across the Tagus, Liberty Avenue and Eduardo VII Park, in a flyover illustrating the bilateral relationship between Portugal and the UK on this 650th anniversary of the Luso-British alliance”.
On the diplomatic front, according to the note, the British Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, will meet his Portuguese counterpart, João Cravinho, on Friday.
At this meeting, the two leaders will discuss cooperation on issues such as climate change, defense and trade.
“The two ministers will also sign a memorandum of understanding that will strengthen international development cooperation,” the statement said.
President Marecelo Rebelo de Sousa today completed a 24-hour visit to London to commemorate the 650th anniversary of the Luso-British alliance.
This morning, the President was received at Buckingham Palace with military honors and awarded King Charles III the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Tower and Sword for bravery, loyalty and merit.
This distinction, the highest awarded by Portugal, was presented by Mário Soares to Queen Elizabeth II in 1993.
Together, the two heads of state attended an Anglican thanksgiving service in the Queen’s Chapel, which had been attended by Queen Catherine of Braganza (1638-1705) on the occasion of her marriage to the English King Charles II.
The event was the culmination of the program of activities organized by Portugal-UK 650, an unofficial non-profit initiative which organized celebrations to mark the 650th anniversary of the Luso-British alliance, under the patronage of the two heads of state.
The Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Alliance, signed on June 16, 1373 by Edward III of England and King Ferdinand I of Portugal, formalized the rapprochement between the two countries established by the Treaty of Tagilde, which had been concluded between King Ferdinand I and emissaries of the Duke of Lancaster, John of Ghent, son of Edward III.
The alliance was renewed by the Treaty of Windsor in 1386 and by several other treaties over the centuries.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also invited Charles III to visit Portugal in the near future.
