Britain lays on pageantry as the Queen welcomes South Korea's first female president Park Geun-hye welcomed with warm smiles by the Queen, and appeared to share a joke with the Duke of Edinburgh President Park was then introduced to dignitaries on the royal podium by the Queen during the ceremonial welcome Queen was wearing a rose-coloured silk and wool dress and coat by Karl Ludwig, with a matching Angela Kelly hat Britain has welcomed the first female president of South Korea in a ceremony filled with pomp and pageantry today as she began a state visit to the UK. Park Geun-hye was greeted with warm smiles by the Queen, and appeared to share a joke with the Duke of Edinburgh, as she arrived at Horse Guards Parade. President Park, who is staying at Buckingham Palace for the duration of her three-day visit, was introduced to dignitaries on the royal podium by the Queen - who was in a rose-coloured silk and wool dress and coat by Karl Ludwig, with a matching Angela Kelly hat. South Korea's President Park Geun-hye is greeted warmly by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip during a ceremonial welcome at Horseguards Parade in central London today South Korean President Park Geun-hye, (left) and Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh (right) appear to be sharing a joke as they walk together at Horse Guards Parade The president, who wore grey trousers and a dark purple coat, shook hands with Prime Minister David Cameron, Foreign Secretary William Hague and Home Secretary Theresa May - who had donned a brightly-coloured coat with a geometric pattern for the occasion. A 41-gun salute was fired in nearby Green Park by The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, and also at the Tower of London by The Honourable Artillery Company, to mark the arrival of the president - who was sworn in on February 25 this year. After the Korean national anthem was played by the Band of the Welsh Guards, President Park inspected the guard of honour provided by 1st Battalion Welsh Guards with the Duke of Edinburgh - who gallantly pointed out a large puddle she ought to avoid as they walked from the dais. Park Geun-hye was greeted with warm smiles by the Queen, and full pomp and pageantry today as she began a state visit to the UK The president joined the monarch and the Duke of Edinburgh in a state carriage procession to Buckingham Palace, with the trio taking the Australian state coach South Korea's president Park Geun-Hye is on a state visit to the UK from today until Thursday Ms Park steps from the state carriage beside Prince Philiip, at the Grand Entrance of Buckingham Palace Ms Park is the daughter of former president Park Chung-hee, who ruled South Korea for almost two decades after seizing power in a military coup in 1961 The president then joined the monarch and the Duke of Edinburgh in a state carriage procession to Buckingham Palace, with the trio taking the Australian state coach. The Duke of York, who had earlier accompanied the president to the ceremony, followed in the Scottish state coach. Crowds lined The Mall to cheer the procession as it made its way to the palace. Concern over North Korea's growing nuclear capability has increased in the past year after it carried out its third nuclear test in February, prompting the UN to approve fresh sanctions against Pyongyang. The president shook hands with Prime Minister David Cameron, Foreign Secretary William Hague and Mrs May, as crowds looked on The Duke of Cambridge attends the Korean War Memorial Ground-breaking Ceremony, at Victoria Embankment Gardens, while Prime Minister David Cameron with Home Secretary Theresa May, wearing a brightly coloured coat and knee high boots, arrive at the ceremonial welcome for the President Ms Park took office just days after North Korea's third test and has promised to revamp the Korean economy and enact a 'trust-building' process with the North. The 61-year-old president is the daughter of former president Park Chung-hee, who ruled South Korea for almost two decades after seizing power in a military coup in 1961. At the age of just 22, Ms Park became South Korea's first lady when her mother was shot dead in 1974 - murdered by a North Korean gunman. The Queen and Philip paid a state visit to South Korea in 1999, while the last leader from the country to make a state visit to the UK was Roh Moo-hyun in 2004. Ms Park, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen arrive to look at an exhibition of Korean related items from the Royal Collection and Royal Archives in the Picture Gallery of Buckingham Palace The Queen and Philip paid a state visit to South Korea in 1999, while the last leader from the country to make a state visit to the UK was Roh Moo-hyun in 2004 One of the artifacts on display had clearly caught the eye of the Duke of Edinburgh as the party made their way through the gallery The Picture Gallery has always served as one of the Palace's principal rooms for official entertaining. During the State Visit Ms Park will also attend a state banquet and visit Downing Street Both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh looked interested to see the items on display In a typically good humoured gesture Prince Philip appears to tweak the nose of a mask in the Picture Gallery - which he visited alongside the president, following lunch at Buckingham Palace The Duke of Cambridge also paid an important role in the state visit as he accompanied President Park to a ground-breaking ceremony for a new Korean War Memorial. After the ceremony, Prince William met veterans of the conflict, which ran from June 1950 to July 1953 with Britain providing more than 90,000 troops in support of the United Nations-backed South Korea. He and President park were shown a scale model of the proposed memorial, which will stand in the Victoria Embankment Gardens, and observed a minute's silence in honour of those killed. The Duke of Cambridge and President Park admire a model of the proposed Korean war memorial The Duke of Cambridge talks to British veterans of the Korean war following the ground-breaking ceremony, at Victoria Embankment Gardens Britain provided more than 90,000 troops for the conflict, which ran from June 1950 to July 1953, in support of the United Nations-backed South Korea