Japanese royals Emperor Naruhito and his wife Empress Masako are set to come to Oxford as part of their upcoming state visit. 

The Japanese state visit to the UK hosted by the King is to go ahead in a “slightly adapted” form despite the General Election.

In an unprecedented move, the King and Queen will entertain Emperor Naruhito and his wife Empress Masako from June 25-27, just days before the country goes to the polls.

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On June 27, the pair will bid farewell to the King and Queen and privately visit St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, to lay a wreath on the tomb of the late Queen, before carrying out a private visit to Oxford on June 28.

The major, formal state occasion will include the traditional pomp and pageantry of a ceremonial welcome on Horse Guards Parade, a carriage procession and a grand banquet at Buckingham Palace.

The Palace declined to confirm exact details of how the original plans for the Japanese visit had been amended to take the election into account.

A Palace spokesman said the programme had been “slightly adapted”, adding: “As a general principle, it has of course been adapted as a result of the current pre-election period of sensitivity.”

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Missing elements from traditional state visits appear to be the usual Downing Street talks with the Prime Minister, a speech to the Palace of Westminster by the visiting head of state, and meetings with opposition leaders.

There was no clarification from the Palace as to whether Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and others would be invited to the white tie state banquet or attend other elements.

Royal expert Joe Little of Majesty magazine said: “It’s unprecedented.

"I assumed as soon as the election was announced that the state visit would bite the dust again because of the huge amount of prime ministerial and government involvement with it.”

He added: “We do still have a prime minister but the fact that it’s a week before the General Election is optically a bad fit.

“The powers that be could be accused of drawing undue attention to the prime minister of the day. So maybe there won’t be the ministerial attendees there.”

State visits are planned by the Foreign Office, in consultation with the Palace.

The key event in the royal calendar is Charles’s first incoming state visit since his cancer diagnosis.

While William, the Prince of Wales, and Queen Camilla are scheduled to take part in the events, there was no mention of the Princess of Wales in the announcement from the Palace.

The Princess is away from public duties while she undergoes chemotherapy for cancer.

The Japanese state visit previously had to be postponed because of the Covid pandemic.