King Charles welcomes S.Africa's Ramaphosa for first state visit

FILE PHOTO: Britain's King Charles III speaks to guests during a reception to celebrate small and medium-sized businesses at Buckingham Palace in London, Britain November 16, 2022. Isabel Infantes/Pool via REUTERS

LONDON (Reuters) -King Charles hosted his first state visit since becoming British monarch on Tuesday, welcoming Cyril Ramaphosa to Buckingham Palace, where the South African president invoked Nelson Mandela as he paid tribute to the close ties between the two countries.

Charles, 74, rolled out the traditional pomp and ceremony as Britain sought to bolster its relations with its biggest trading partner in Africa.