The meeting at Windsor Castle is “an honour that the chancellor is very pleased about”, said government spokesman Steffen Seibert in Berlin on Wednesday.

Buckingham Palace also confirmed the meeting between Germany’s head of government and the 95-year-old British monarch.

In addition, a meeting of the chancellor with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is planned at the latter’s country residence Chequers. Merkel and Johnson recently met at the G7 summit, where they also spoke privately.

Seibert said Merkel’s visit was in keeping with the importance of close and cooperative relations with Britain.

Efforts are being made to deepen German-British relations following Britain’s exit from the European Union, which the federal government regrets but recognises.

Seibert said he expected Merkel’s talks with Johnson to cover the whole range of bilateral, European and international issues. Measures to contain the coronavirus and its more aggressive Delta variant would also be discussed, as would travel restrictions during the pandemic.