The Queen plans to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War alongside the German president, sources suggest.
To reflect the reconciliation between the two nations, the government will issue a formal invitation to Frank-Walter Steinmeier to join the monarch at Westminster Abbey on November 11.
He will be the only head of state to join the royal at the televised commemoration of 100 years since the Armistice.
The Queen (left) plans to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War alongside the German president (right)
Outside the Abbey, Oscar-winning film director Danny Boyle hopes to capture the mood of the nation and ‘invite communities across the UK to come together in marking 100 years since the Armistice’.
He was asked by 14-18 Now, a five-year programme of arts projects ‘connecting people with the First World War’, to help plan the event.
Sources say his idea is to encourage everyone to write a name of a soldier on biodegradable paper and send it into the sea on Armistice Day to symbolise how they were sent across the Channel to end Germany’s aggression.
Yet there are apparently some misgivings about the proposal – however 14-18 Now did not respond to requests for comment, the Sunday Times reported.
Hollywood star Peter Jackson, director of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, will also be involved and has been enrolled to ‘bring to life’ the soldiers experiences.
Outside the Abbey, Oscar-winning film director Danny Boyle (pictured) hopes to capture the mood of the nation and ‘invite communities across the UK to come together in marking 100 years since the Armistice’
He has been given access to film footage shot during the war, as well as up to 600 hours of audio interviews, by The Imperial War Museum.
The rest of the world will most likely be watching Paris in November after the French president Emmanuel Macron invited heads of more than 80 states to a peace forum.
It will be to keep the promise made a century ago: ‘Never again’. The dignitaries have been asked to come with ideas as the French president said: ‘Peace is currently losing ground every day’.
In 2014, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined the German president in Belgium while the Queen led a candle-lit vigil at Westminster Abbey.
And this year a senior royal will attend services taking place in Belfast, Cardiff and Glasgow as well as a ceremony in Paris.
A high-level Whitehall source confirmed the plans, saying: ‘There have been German representatives involved throughout the commemorations but it is fitting that the current German president should be present at the main commemoration with the Queen in November.’