King Charles arrived in France today, Wednesday, for an official three-day visit during which he and President Emmanuel Macron hope to use their symbolic and personal connections as a foundation to turn a page on years of strained relations between the two countries. French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne welcomed the king and his wife Camilla in Paris before heading to a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe to commemorate French and British soldiers who were killed in World War II. They then traveled by car down the famous Champs-Élysées, waving to a crowd gathered to greet them on both sides.
The timing of the visit comes as citizens in France and Britain feel the pressure of inflation, which has reached its highest level in decades, making the planned dinner at the opulent Palace of Versailles, a symbol of privilege, subject to criticism for being out of touch with current conditions. Before dinner at Versailles, the king and Macron held a meeting at the French presidency office in the Élysée Palace. While King Charles's role in British politics is advisory, French officials said he would discuss issues with Macron, including the war in Ukraine, military coups in the Sahel region, and climate change.
The dinner includes over 150 guests, including British actor Hugh Grant, rock star Mick Jagger, former Arsenal football manager Arsène Wenger, French football star Didier Drogba, and French billionaire Bernard Arnault. On Thursday, Charles, Camilla, Macron, and his wife Brigitte will visit Notre-Dame Cathedral to observe the restoration work following a devastating fire in 2019 that destroyed its roof. The king and his wife will then travel to the city of Bordeaux in southwestern France on Friday.
Officials stated that the king, who speaks French fluently like his late mother Queen Elizabeth, is keen to follow in her footsteps and is likely to express the deep affection that Elizabeth had for France. The trip also represents an opportunity to restore relations between the two countries to their former state before being damaged by Britain's chaotic exit from the European Union in 2020.
