The royal trip comes as protests and various social movements take place daily in France after the use of 49.3 by the government to push through the pension reform.
A symbolic visit, but placed under close surveillance. From Monday until March 29, King Charles III will make his first official state visit to France since becoming British sovereign, even though he is not officially crowned. He had been invited by Emmanuel Macron at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, his mother, last September.
However, the visit of Charles III intervenes in a social climate more than tense in France. After the adoption of the pension reform via 49.3, the anger is still great in the streets of the country and, in addition to the demonstrations which are organized daily in several cities, new social movements are to be expected by the end. week.
“French riots”
A situation closely followed by the British, concerned for the safety of the king. “I’m a little worried with everything that’s going on in Paris at the moment, hopefully everything will calm down next week”, explains an Englishwoman met by BFMTV in front of the gates of Buckingham Palace.
“I know he cannot express his political opinion but I wonder if he could not feel compassion for the cause which is defended”, judges a second passer-by.
In the local press, the “French riots” (the French riots, editor’s note) were followed very closely before the displacement of Charles III. According to Daily Mail, royal protocol is said to be preparing to change the logistics of the royal trip. Royal assistants thus took advice from the British Foreign Office and the French authorities. No changes, let alone a cancellation, are currently mentioned.
For this French trip, King Charles, whose last outings across the Channel have been accompanied by insults, boos or egg throwing, should avoid crowds, which he is nevertheless fond of. On BFMTV, the prefect of police of Paris Laurent Nunez however said he was “very serene” before the trip.
Significant political significance
From a political point of view, the trip should strengthen ties between France and the United Kingdom. “The UK really likes France and I think they made the right choice by going there.” “Our two countries are extremely close, and I’m not just talking geographically, so I don’t think there’s any reason we can’t get along well,” said Britons we met in London.
“It was Rishi Sunak who decided, post-Brexit, on a rapprochement with France and Germany as a symbolic gesture and to send the new king to Paris and Berlin”, confirms Marc Roche, royal biographer.
The program is also loaded. After a ceremony under the Arc de Triomphe, Charles III must go to the Musée d’Orsay before a state banquet at the Palace of Versailles. A trip by train to Bordeaux is also noted in the royal agenda. Following this French stage, the king will fly to Berlin.
