French-speaking King Charles III, who is hosting President Emmanuel Macron for a state visit starting on Tuesday, professes a long-standing love of France, describing it as “an essential part” of his life.
The visit, at the invitation of the monarch, is a rare privilege full of spectacular pomp and circumstance and an opportunity to strengthen a bilateral relationship which the king called “indispensable” during his visit to France in September 2023.
That visit, hailed as a symbol of “cordial detente” after Brexit, demonstrated a closeness between the two heads of state on issues such as Ukraine, but also on a personal level.
“If you see their body language, and this was particularly noticeable during the state visit… it does seem that they get on tremendously well,” said monarchy expert Richard Fitzwilliams.
Macron touched the monarch on the shoulder several times during the visit, a casual gesture unthinkable in the time of Elizabeth II, but the king took no offence.
Brigitte Macron and Queen Camilla, who share a love of literature, exchange kisses whenever they meet, even though official protocol dictates a curtsy.
As well as Ukraine, the two men also share common ground on topics such as the environment.
“Inspired and encouraged by my grandmother’s and my late mother’s example, France has been an essential part of the fabric of my own life for as long as I can remember,” Charles declared before the French Senate in September 2023, in a speech delivered largely in French, which earned him a standing ovation.
Like his mother, Elizabeth II, who often visited France and met every French president from Vincent Auriol to Macron, Charles III learned French from childhood. He reads it fluently, and speaks it with a hint of an accent.
He has made more than 35 official visits to France since the 1970s, and according to him, Edith Piaf’s “La Vie en rose” remains one of his favourite songs.
Macron is the first European leader to be invited for a state visit since Charles III assumed the throne.
The king’s first state visit abroad was originally scheduled to also take place in France, in March 2023, but was postponed due to social unrest.
The French couple’s state visit will take place at Windsor Castle, as Buckingham Palace is undergoing renovations, and will follow the standard schedule.
There are on average two of these visits per year, and preparation for them generally takes around a year.
The Prince and Princess of Wales will greet the French presidential couple on landing and accompany them on the journey to Windsor, west of London, where they will be officially welcomed by the King and Queen.
They will join a carriage procession through the town, attend a military parade and take lunch with the royal family at the castle.
Macron and his wife will visit the Palace of Westminster in London on Tuesday, where the French president will address parliamentarians for a “very political” speech, according to the Elysee Palace.
The day will end with a state dinner, including speeches by the King and the French leader in front of some 150 guests.
On Wednesday, Emmanuel Macron will lay flowers on the grave of Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September 2022, at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, and will tour the gardens.
He will attend Thursday’s Franco-British summit, the second since they resumed in 2023 after being suspended due to Brexit, before leaving with his wife later in the day.
US President Donald Trump has also been invited for a state visit this year and is expected in September, but no date has yet been officially announced.
