King Charles and Queen Camilla to Make State Visit to France After Riots Postponed Initial Trip

King Charles and Queen Camilla are saying ‘Bonjour’ to France!

Buckingham Palace announced Thursday that the royals are scheduled to make a state visit to the country in September — six months after they originally planned to visit France on the first overseas tour of the King’s reign.

The royal couple will visit Paris and Bordeaux for three days from September 20 to September 22 in order to celebrate the “shared history, culture and values” between the U.K. and France, according to a release.

While the royals’ plans have not yet been made public, the release noted that the trip marked Charles’ 35th official visit to France and Camilla’s ninth.

King Charles and Queen Camilla depart Exeter Cathedral on July 19, 2021.

Chris Jackson – WPA Pool/Getty Images

King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Trip to France Postponed Amid Riots Across the Country

Charles and Camilla had originally been slated to make a state visit to the country in March, however, they opted to postpone the trip due to a tide of violent riots across France at the time. 

The initial tour was set to run from March 26 to March 31 and include a trip to Germany and a spectacular state banquet at the Palace of Versailles hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron.

In an emotional ceremony to reflect the shared military history of the long-term allies, Charles was also due to take part in a ceremony of Remembrance and wreath laying at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

King Charles and Queen Camilla Arrive in Germany for First Tour of the New Reign

French President Macron’s office announced the couple’s visit would be rescheduled amid public protests in Paris and Bordeaux against his plan to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. The Associated Press reported that hundreds of people were arrested in the French capital for setting garbage on fire in the streets.

King Charles and Queen Camilla at the reopening of Hillsborough Castle in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Chris Jackson-WPA Pool/Getty Images

Buckingham Palace said in a statement at the time that despite the postponement, the royals’ would still “greatly look forward to the opportunity to visit France as soon as dates can be found.”

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The royal couple did carry on with the German leg of their visit, however, and arrived in Berlin to the sound of a 21-gun salute and military flypast. The pair later met with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Frau Elke Budenbender at the Brandenburg Gate before attending a state banquet at the Schloss Bellevue later that day. 

During the visit, Charles also addressed the house at the Bundestag, the German Federal Parliament and met with soldiers from the British Corps of Royal Engineers, while Camilla and Frau Büdenbender visited the Komische Opera in Berlin to learn more about the company’s outreach projects and community engagement programs.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education