The state visit of King Charles III to France will take place from Wednesday September 20 to Friday September 22, 2023. Postponed by six months, will the monarch’s visit follow the same program as initially planned?
Better late than never. The first visit of King Charles III to France will finally take place in September, six months after the date initially planned. “Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla will pay a State visit to France – to Paris and Bordeaux – from Wednesday September 20 to Friday September 22, 2023,” said the Elysée Palace in a press release published on August 24, 2023.
On the throne of England since September 2022, the English monarch chose France for his first state visit, but the trip scheduled for March had been canceled due to strikes against pension reform which were paralyzing the country. The decision had been taken by mutual agreement between the two nations and the Crown had expressed its wish to come to France “as soon as dates can be found”. They were finally arrested.
A visit in honor of the links between France and England
“This visit will celebrate the history, culture and common values of the United Kingdom and France” rejoices the presidential palace in the announcement of the arrival of the royal couple. Themes already mentioned at the start of the year, before Charles III’s trip was postponed. A decision made for the best? Coincidentally, France will also host the Rugby World Cup during the visit of the King and Queen, a sport in which France and England shine brilliantly. Enough to highlight “the depth of the historical ties that unite our two countries and our two peoples”.
Citing other values shared by the two countries, the Elysée adds that this visit will be an opportunity for the Heads of State “to pursue their common commitment in favor of the preservation of nature, a subject on which they have closely cooperated these last years”.
Paris, Versailles, Bordeaux… What program for the visit of Charles III?
The arrival of Charles and Camilla was to be a strong gesture, reminiscent of that of Elizabeth II. In 1948, the late Queen dedicated her first visit outside the United Kingdom to Paris. For the occasion, a tailor-made program had been prepared for the visit of King Charles III, but will the schedule scheduled between September 20 and 22 be the same as that which had been announced for March? Very noticeably.
Initially, the monarch was to be welcomed at Orly by Elisabeth Borne, before meeting Emmanuel Macron at the Arc de Triomphe for a commemoration ceremony and a wreath laying. A descent from the Champs-Elysées to the Elysée was then to take place, followed by a speech by King III to the senators and deputies, in the Senate. Two cultural stages were then on the program: first at 19M, a gallery dedicated to fashion professions, then at the CentQuatre cultural center to meet Anne Hidalgo, as well as at least two big bosses: Sébastien Bazin from the Accor Hotel group and Alexandre Bompard of Carrefour. A state dinner at the Elysée and a banquet organized in the luxurious state palace of Versailles were to take place. If the cultural and economic meetings could be adjusted, the passage of the king at the Elysée, on the avenue des Champs-Elysées and at the Palace of Versailles should be maintained.
As for the visit of the royal couple to the Gironde prefecture, it is still on the program. This stage in Bordeaux should be centered on the environment after the damage caused by the forest fires last summer. The royal couple were due to attend the opening of the British consulate in Bordeaux and meet members of the French and British communities before visiting an organic vineyard, points in the program which could be changed.