The South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, on Monday landed in Britain, ahead of the first State visit hosted by King Charles III as monarch.
Ramaphosa arrived at London Stansted airport on a South African Air Force jet and was met by a British military guard of honour.
The official programme starts on Tuesday and will include a State banquet at Buckingham Palace.
The last State visit to the UK was held in June 2019, when Queen Elizabeth II hosted US president Donald Trump and his wife Melania.

Climate change, trade and Charles's vision for the Commonwealth are expected to be on the agenda.
Also on the agenda is an address to lawmakers from both houses of parliament and a meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Downing Street.
The South African President was last in London for the State funeral of the Queen at Westminster Abbey in September.
His State visit comes more than a decade after the last by ex-president, Jacob Zuma, in 2010.
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla are in charge of welcoming Ramaphosa and First Lady, Tshepo Motsepe.

The Royal couple will also see that the visiting couple meet other senior royals.
Heir to the throne Prince William and his wife Kate, Princess of Wales, will take Ramaphosa to join King Charles and Camilla for a ceremonial military welcome.
Charles’s youngest brother, Prince Edward has also been recruited to accompany Ramaphosa to London’s Kew Gardens and a biomedical research centre.