King Charles will make his first state visit this week, listening to, rather than making, a speech on green energy – a subject close to the monarch’s heart.
He will be in Berlin to hear about pioneering hydrogen technology.
But it is expected to be German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier who will make the speech.
Despite remaining passionate about the environment and conservation, Charles must now steer a different course as King.
The 74-year-old had been “looking forward” to France being his first visit to a foreign country as monarch yesterday.
But violent protests over pension reforms led the three-day trip to be cancelled.
Instead, Germany will host his first big moment on the international stage when he lands in Berlin on Wednesday afternoon where he will attend a green energy reception.
Since becoming King last September he has met Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.
An insider said: “On a human and geopolitical level, people want to come and hear from him. “
“There will be a lot of world leaders at his Coronation.”
However, some hardline Brexiteers have accused PM Rishi Sunak of using the King to schmooze the EU and sell his revised deal over Northern Ireland.
The German trip will focus on trade, Ukrainian refugees, climate change, sustainability and the arts.
He will be the first British monarch to address the Bundestag, Germany’s federal parliament, although he has visited the city several times before.
In 2004 his mother went on a state visit to Germany and rejected calls from the German media to apologise for the carpet bombing of Dresden in the war.
However, she did speak of the need for “reconciliation”.
