Duke, Duchess of Edinburgh celebrate 640-year UK-Portugal alliance during official visit

Europe-Asia, Politics

LISBON, Portugal (NPA) —The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have concluded an official visit to Portugal, celebrating the enduring friendship between the United Kingdom and Portugal, one of the world’s oldest diplomatic alliances.

A key highlight of the visit was the unveiling of the original English and Portuguese copies of the historic Treaty of Windsor at the Portuguese National Archive. The documents were displayed side by side for the first time since the treaty was signed in 1386.

Their Royal Highnesses were presented with both copies of the treaty and received briefings from British and Portuguese historians on its historical significance. The exhibition also featured archival materials from Portugal and the United Kingdom.

The Duke and Duchess later attended a reception with senior Portuguese officials as part of activities marking the 640th anniversary of the treaty, which formalised the alliance between the two nations.

The Treaty of Windsor was further strengthened a year later through the marriage of Portugal’s King João I and England’s Philippa of Lancaster, who became Queen of Portugal.

During their stay in Lisbon, the royal couple visited Estrela Garden, where they were welcomed by Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas. They also travelled through the Portuguese capital aboard one of Lisbon’s iconic yellow trams.

At the residence of the British Ambassador, Their Royal Highnesses attended a garden party celebrating the people-to-people connections that underpin the long-standing relationship between the two countries.

The event brought together members of the British community in Portugal and Portuguese partners involved in charitable, social enterprise and community development initiatives.

Reflecting on the visit, the Royal Family highlighted a series of engagements undertaken by the Duke and Duchess in Lisbon and Porto.

The royal couple visited the Batalha Monastery, Porto Cathedral and Casa da Música, participated in discussions at Model NATO on Women, Peace and Security, received the symbolic keys to the city at the Porto Town Hall, and supported activities linked to The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award programme.

They also took part in a traditional port wine cask baptism ceremony and engaged with young participants involved in leadership and outdoor development programmes.

The visit reinforced the deep historical, cultural and diplomatic ties between the United Kingdom and Portugal, a partnership that has endured for more than six centuries.