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King Charles and Queen Camilla’s state visit to France – in pictures

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Charles and Camilla’s three-day state visit to France started on Wednesday with a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and a dinner at the Palace of Versailles. They later visited a Paris flower market named after Queen Elizabeth II and then rejoined Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron at Notre Dame Cathedral to view restoration work after the 2019 fire

Arnel Hecimovic

Thu 21 Sep 2023 16.00 BST Last modified on Fri 22 Sep 2023 22.31 BST

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King Charles III to begin first state visit to France

Charles III finally makes it across the Channel from Britain to France this week, six months after rioting and strikes forced the last-minute postponement of his first state visit as king.

Issued on: 18/09/2023 - 04:29 Modified: 18/09/2023 - 04:27

The 74-year-old British head of state's rescheduled three-day trip to Paris and Bordeaux with his wife Queen Camilla, 76, starts on Wednesday, with the itinerary largely unchanged from March.

It includes set-piece ceremonial events with President Emmanuel Macron , whose unpopular pension reforms sparked the civil unrest earlier this year, as well as more informal meetings with the public.

The royal couple, Macron and his wife Brigitte will be officially welcomed at the Arc de Triomphe and lay wreaths of remembrance before a procession down the sweeping Champs-Elysees avenue.

The French leader and First Lady will host Charles and Camilla at a state banquet at Versailles, the palace west of Paris synonymous with French royalty -- and the bloody republican revolution of 1789.

Other highlights include a landmark address -- likely in French -- by Charles to lawmakers at the Senate.

Many of the engagements turn around subjects championed by both couples, from the environment and sustainability to promoting literacy and youth entrepreneurship.

There are meetings with local communities and sports stars in the north Parisian suburb of Saint-Denis, home to the national stadium and venue for next year's Olympic Games .

In Bordeaux, the southwestern city once ruled over by Charles's 12th-century ancestor Henry II and still home to around 39,000 British expats, he will tour an organic vineyard and meet firefighters tackling climate-induced wildfires.

Political backdrop

On both sides of the Channel, the visit is being billed as a celebration of centuries-old bonds between the two neighbours, as politicians rebuild bridges after backbiting and bickering over Brexit.

The entente has not been so cordial since the UK left the European Union, with former prime minister Boris Johnson frequently baiting France over everything from fishing quotas to trading rules for sausages.

At one point, the UK under Johnson even briefly sent two gunboats to the Channel Islands -- the self-governing British Crown dependencies off the French coast -- in a standoff over fishing licences.

Johnson's short-lived successor Liz Truss did little to help, at one point saying "the jury's out" when asked whether Macron -- a G7 and NATO ally -- was a friend or foe.

But the current incumbent of Downing Street, Rishi Sunak, has forged better relations with his counterpart in the Elysee, who like him has a finance background and penchant for sharp suits and slick social media.

As the head of a constitutional monarchy, British kings and queens in recent times have -- mostly -- observed a strict political neutrality.

But politics is never far away on state visits, and Charles's trip is no exception, providing the "soft power" follow-up to Sunak's more friendly recent overtures.

Familiar figure

Ed Owens, a royal historian and author, called state visits "the trump card of diplomacy... above the party politics of the moment", such as lingering tensions between London and Paris over migrant crossings from northern France to the UK.

"There will be some informal diplomacy going on," said Owens, whose new book "After Elizabeth: Can the Monarchy Save Itself?" was published on Friday.

But he told AFP that the wider goal was to present Charles "as the environmentalist king beyond British shores".

After a first year on the throne underlined by stability and continuity, rather than radical reform, the visit encapsulates a "business as usual approach to royal diplomacy".

In that, the French public will see a familiar British monarchy on display, he said.

"He has presented himself as a slightly more intimate figure but the monarchy remains very much the monarchy of Elizabeth II," he added.

Charles and Macron have met before, most recently at the king's coronation -- the official religious ceremony to mark his accession -- in May and are said to have a "warm relationship".

The Anglophile French leader's tribute to Charles's mother after her death in September last year was well received in the UK, and at her state funeral he extended an open invitation for the new king to visit France.

The postponement in March saw the king and queen head to Germany instead, visiting Berlin and Hamburg.

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King Charles’s first state visit to France includes Versailles dinner

PARIS — King Charles III began his first state visit to France on Wednesday with an itinerary that included echoes of his mother’s trips across the English Channel. But Charles is also a different sort of British monarch, and these are different times.

As Queen Elizabeth II did in her day, Charles took part in a procession through the streets of Paris, planted a tree at the British ambassador’s residence and dined at the Palace of Versailles. On Thursday, also reminiscent of his mother’s visits, his planned stops include the Paris flower market, and he is expected to demonstrate his French language competence when he addresses the Senate .

King Charles’s first year: How he handled power, money and his family

Yet whereas Elizabeth, an avid horsewoman, liked to see stud farms in Normandy, Charles, a passionate climate advocate, will attend a roundtable on climate finance and biodiversity at the Museum of Natural History, witness the destruction in Gironde by wildfires and spend time at an organic vineyard that considers the cycles of the moon when tending its vines.

And whereas Elizabeth’s first state visit , in 1957, was a societal event — bringing hundreds of thousands of people onto sidewalks, balconies and rooftops to see the young queen driven through the streets of Paris — Charles, 74, seems to be eliciting more of a shrug.

Julie Bietry, 22, a Parisian selling ice cream in waffle cones near the Arc de Triomphe, said she first heard about the visit earlier in the day, when her boss warned her she might have trouble getting to work, with all the security in the area and Metro stations closed.

“More people are interested in Queen Elizabeth," Bietry said. “She was around my entire life. She was a big personality. Even though we are French, we know her. But the king is not as known. People don’t talk about him. He’s an old man and won’t last long, so maybe people want that distance, or maybe they just don’t care.”

This is actually take two of Charles’s state visit.

France was supposed to be his first foreign destination as king — a gesture of friendship from Britain after the rocky years of Brexit. But the original trip, planned for March, was postponed when France was convulsed in protests over a retirement age increase . The optics of hosting a king at Versailles might have presented a problem for French President Emmanuel Macron, already accused by his critics of being a monarchical figure.

King Charles III postpones first overseas visit as pension protests rock France

But now France is relatively quiet, and the trip is back on, including the Wednesday dinner in the extravagant Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. Macron’s office said that the king appreciated the nod to his mother — who had dined there on her second state visit, in 1972 — and that it was an opportunity to show off one of France’s most famous sites.

The palace at sunset certainly made a spectacular backdrop. The 150-plus guests received the royal treatment: a red carpet serenading band and soldiers marching in the cobblestone courtyard. There was a bit of a stir when Mick Jagger walked in, but only from the press — the public was unable to get anywhere near the palace.

The king and Queen Camilla were the last to arrive. Unlike most guests, their car pulled up close to the entrance. They were greeted by the president and first lady Brigitte Macron, who helped adjust the queen’s navy blue cape as it blew in the warm breeze.

Quentin Peel, an associate fellow with the Europe Program at Chatham House, said Macron remains vulnerable to criticism in his role as host.

“He’s seen as distant and arrogant, and the difficult card he has to play with this visit, where here is a king coming, people might look back and say, ‘Look at Macron, he wants to be a king, just like him,’” Peel said.

Macron warned against authoritarianism. In France, he is seen as a liberal strongman.

Macron’s office emphasized that the greatest commonality between the British king and French president was an interest in climate issues. The preferred takeaway may be that Macron wants to save the planet, just like Charles.

Macron gifted the king an original edition of Romain Gary’s “ The Roots of Heaven ,” a 1956 novel about a rogue environmentalist. Charles in return gave him Voltaire’s “ Letters on the English .”

On the British government side, the hope is that the new king can sprinkle a little royal stardust and deploy the kind of soft power that Elizabeth wielded so effectively during her reign.

Relations between Britain and France plummeted after the 2016 Brexit vote. The neighbors engaged in bitter diplomatic battles over immigration, submarine contracts and fishing rights . Liz Truss didn’t help matters when, while campaigning to be British leader, she said the “jury is out” on whether Macron was a friend or a foe.

But there has been an effort to reset relations under British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who as Macron has an investment banking background. The chumminess between them has been regarded as something of a budding bromance , though tensions over immigration linger. The government is counting on Charles to further mend ties.

A new bromance? Sunak prompts hopes for improved France-U.K. ties.

“The British government’s hope is that this will help improve relations,” said Peter Ricketts, a former British ambassador to France, who was among the dinner guests at Versailles. “The French have a very special place in their hearts for the royals. I was ambassador there in 2014 when the queen came, and the outpouring of affection and respect for the queen was quite extraordinary in a republic.”

After the death last year of Elizabeth — who made five state visits and several private trips to France during her reign — Macron summed up the feelings of his nation when he said, “To you, she was your Queen. To us, she was The Queen.”

That affection lingers on: Touquet-Paris-Plage, a town in northern France, said it plans to rename its airport after the late queen.

But the intensity of the sentiment may not extend to Charles, who, in Britain, too, is less beloved than his mother was.

Many of those gathered Wednesday at the metal barricades along the roads leading to the Arc de Triomphe were surprised to discover the British king was in the city.

Fernando Floeres, 31, a lawyer from Mexico, discovered Charles was in Paris after he Googled why the Champs-Élysées was closed. He said he felt some sympathy for Charles: “It’s hard to be in the shadow of your mother.”

Martin Kent, 56, a construction worker from England, said he was surprised to see Union Jack flags, “and then it clicked” that Charles was in France. Kent joked that he didn’t come to Paris to see the king. “I can see him anytime in London.” But he said he thought Charles was doing a “good job. His environmental stuff is quite good. He stands up for the old traditional ways, and I’m an old traditionalist myself.”

The first two days of the trip are taking place in Paris. After arriving Wednesday afternoon, the king attended a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe, followed by a procession down the Champs-Élysées, a meeting with Macron and a stop at the British ambassador’s residence. The day concluded with the dinner at Versailles, where blue lobster, Bresse poultry and French and British cheeses were on the menu.

Charles met with sports stars at the dinner but won’t be attending the Rugby World Cup while in France. Britain has three teams in the tournament — representing England, Scotland and Wales — and it might have been tricky for the king, had he gone, to avoid appearing to favor one of them.

On Thursday, Charles will address French lawmakers and then see restoration work at Notre Dame Cathedral. When he and Macron have spoken previously about the 2019 fire at Notre Dame , the king reportedly drew a comparison to a 1992 fire at Windsor Castle.

After Notre Dame, Charles will move on to the Museum of Natural History, where French officials have previewed that there may be announcements about new funding for climate and biodiversity projects.

On Friday, the focus will pivot to Bordeaux, where Charles will visit a tramline, communities affected by wildfires and the organic vineyard.

“The queen didn’t advertise her passions — she sort of symbolized duty,” Ricketts said. But Charles’s views on the environment, and the stops that highlight that interest, make this “a new kind of state visit,” he said. “In addition to the ceremonial stuff, there’s also an extra substantive side.”

King Charles visits Notre-Dame in state trip aimed at bolstering ties

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King Charles chooses France and Germany for first state visits

The visit will feature a state dinner for Charles and Queen Consort Camilla at the Palace of Versailles, is a diplomatic coup for President Emmanuel Macron, who has sought to reset Franco-British relations after a series of disputes.

Le Monde with AFP

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King Charles III will make his state first state visits as UK monarch when he travels to France and Germany later this month, Buckingham Palace announced Friday. The choice of the two European nations and close allies is widely seen as an attempt to build post-Brexit bridges and an acknowledgement of the affection the late Queen Elizabeth II had for France.

The visits will take place from March 26 to March 31, ahead of the king's coronation on May 6. The tour "will celebrate Britain's relationship with France and Germany, marking our shared histories, culture and values," the palace said.

Charles and his wife Camilla will be in France from March 26 to March 29, and will join President Emmanuel Macron for a ceremony of remembrance and wreath laying at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The king will make an address at the French Senate, while Camilla and the French first lady Brigitte Macron will officially open the new Manet and Degas exhibition at the Musee d'Orsay.

The royal couple will then be guests of honour at a state banquet hosted by the Macrons at the Palace of Versailles, and will also pay a visit to Bordeaux in southwestern France. While there, Charles will "witness first-hand the devastation caused by last summer's wildfires" on the outskirts of Bordeaux and visit an organic vineyard, the palace said.

The visit will take place shortly after a first trip to France by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on March 10 for a bilateral summit.

Historic relationship

The trip will mark the king's 35 th official visit to France, and 29 th official visit to Germany. His mother Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by her husband Prince Philip, last undertook state visits to France and Germany in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

Elizabeth, who was a fluent French speaker, made five state visits to France during her reign, in addition to numerous private visits. Her first visit to France was in 1948 as the 22-year-old Princess Elizabeth. In 1957, when she returned to France as queen, thousands lined the streets to cheer her as she travelled through the streets of the capital. "Look at our Parisians, how much they love you," president Rene Coty told her.

On her last state visit to France in 2014, she joined 1,800 World War II veterans and 18 heads of state and government, including the US and Russian presidents Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin, to mark the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landing.

A Macron aide has previously said the visit would illustrate the "age-old attachment of his country to ours, beyond Brexit." It would also be a sign of "family continuity, because Elizabeth II was a Francophile and a Francophone", the aide told Le Parisien newspaper.

Macron himself paid tribute to Britain's late monarch following her death in September 2022. In a message to the British people, he recalled a "great head of state" and a "unique example of devotion to her people, and a very close ally. With her, France and the United Kingdom shared not just an 'entente cordiale', but a warm, sincere and loyal partnership," he added.

Charles will head to Berlin on March 29, and undertake engagements there and in Brandenburg before heading to Hamburg, the palace added.

The royal couple are due to receive a ceremonial welcome by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Brandenburg Gate. "The fact that King Charles chose Germany and France as his first destinations before his coronation is also an important European gesture," German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a video message. Steinmeier said he and German first lady Elke Buedenbender would welcome Charles and Queen Consort Camilla in Berlin with military honours before inviting them to a state banquet at his Bellevue Palace in the city centre.

On March 30, the couples will make visits together in Berlin and the surrounding state of Brandenburg before continuing to the northern port city of Hamburg the following day. "This visit early on underlines the close and heartfelt friendship between our countries and our citizens," Steinmeier said.

The German head of state said he had extended the invitation to Charles at the funeral of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, last September. "The fact that he is now visiting half a year later shows how much the king values the friendship between our peoples," Steinmeier said.

"I want to tell him but of course also all Britons: we in Germany, we in Europe want close and friendly ties with the United Kingdom after Brexit as well," he said, before adding in English: "Your Majesty: I look forward to welcoming you to Germany."

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King Charles’ state visit deflated as France leg canceled

FILE - Britain’s Prince Charles welcomes French president Emmanuel Macron, left, to Clarence House in London, Thursday June 18, 2020. French President Emmanuel Macron’s office on Friday, March 24, 2023, said a state visit by Britain’s King Charles III has been postponed amid mass strikes and protests in France. The king had been scheduled to arrive in France on Sunday on his first state visit as monarch, before heading to Germany on Wednesday. (Jonathan Brady/Pool via AP, File)

FILE - Britain’s Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall look on as French President Emmanuel Macron, right, makes a speech following laying a wreath at a ceremony at Carlton Gardens in London, Thursday June 18, 2020. French President Emmanuel Macron’s office on Friday, March 24, 2023, said a state visit by Britain’s King Charles III has been postponed amid mass strikes and protests in France. The king had been scheduled to arrive in France on Sunday on his first state visit as monarch, before heading to Germany on Wednesday. (Jonathan Brady/Pool via AP, File)

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LONDON (AP) — King Charles III’s international debut was deflated Friday when his trip to France was postponed indefinitely because of protests that threatened to mar events at high profile venues such as the Arc de Triomphe and the Palace of Versailles.

While Charles will still travel to Germany on Wednesday, the decision to bypass France removes some of the sparkle from his first overseas trip as monarch, originally planned as a six-day, celebration of Britain’s links with its biggest European allies.

But with protesters promising to target royal events as they demonstrate against French President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to raise the retirement age, planners had little choice but to cancel a visit that could have embarrassed the king.

“It is a great shame because it was the first state visit of the king’s reign and much thought would have been given as to who should have that honor,” said Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine.

Macron said Friday that he had asked for the visit to be delayed out of “common sense and friendship” because the likelihood of protests created a “detestable situation.” Buckingham Palace said Charles and Camilla, the queen consort, would travel to France “as soon as dates can be found.”

But decoupling the two visits dilutes one of the original goals of the trip — highlighting the British government’s efforts to improve relations with the European Union after six years of squabbling over Brexit.

The French leg of the tour, in particular, was an opportunity for Britain to underscore the progress Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made after the antagonism fanned by his predecessors, Liz Truss and Boris Johnson, said Ed Owens, an expert on Britain’s royal family who lives in France.

During his six months in office, Sunak has reached an agreement with the EU to resolve the long-running dispute over post-Brexit trading rules for Northern Ireland and signed a deal with Macron to try to stop migrants from crossing the English Channel in flimsy inflatable boats.

“What we would have seen with this visit, ideally, was the two heads of state of two democracies coming together in recognition of their shared values, their desire to work together, to cooperate,” Owens said. “And at a time when there is war in Eastern Europe, at a time when we are witnessing the rise of an authoritarian China, that kind of symbolism … is powerful.”

But postponing the trip was the “least bad option” amid protests that have disrupted public services and left the streets of Paris choked with uncollected garbage, said Owens, author of the “The Family Firm: Monarchy, Mass Media and the British Public, 1932-1953.

Demonstrators had said they intended to protest at royal events, including the welcoming ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe and a state dinner at the palace of Versailles. In addition, labor unions have called for nationwide strikes and protests on Tuesday, which would have complicated security and travel arrangements for the royal couple’s trip to the western city of Bordeaux that day.

That meant the new monarch’s first big overseas trip would have played out against an ugly backdrop, said Robert Lacey, a historian and author of several books on the royal family. The risk for Charles was that an event designed to highlight his importance as Britain’s head of state could instead have made him look weak and insensitive toward the concerns of French workers.

As an example of how important the optics of such visits can be, Lacey drew a parallel with Prince William and the Princess of Wales’ tour of the Caribbean last year, which was marred by images of people of color restrained by a chain link fence as the royal couple walked past.

The royals, in essence, need state visits to be accompanied by adoring crowds to show that they are being welcomed by the host nation. That couldn’t be guaranteed in France.

“The crowd can cheer,” Lacey said. “But the crowd can boo, too.″

But all is not lost for Charles.

The German portion of the trip is going ahead, and it includes a full schedule of state events and more intimate appearances designed to showcase his role as head of state and highlight the causes he holds dear, like sustainability and the environment, before his coronation on May 6.

Charles and Camilla will now start their trip on Wednesday in Berlin, where German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will welcome them at the historic Brandenburg Gate.

On Thursday, the king is scheduled to give a speech to the Bundestag, meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz and talk to Ukrainian refugees and military. He goes to Hamburg on Friday, where he will visit the Kindertransport memorial for Jewish children who fled from Germany to Britain during the Third Reich, and attend a green energy event before returning to the U.K.

Speaking before the French leg of the trip was cancelled, royal expert Arianne Chernock said the state visits would help people understand that Charles is now king.

“We’re still growing accustomed to Charles in this new role,’’ said Chernock, a professor of modern British history at Boston University. “This visit provides him with that platform to become more familiar to us, to establish himself as King Charles III, and again, in a way that will set the tone for the coronation and demonstrate, I think, that he has a seriousness, a capacity for engaging on really substantive issues that will serve him well, potentially, in his role.”

Vive la France! Everything you need to know about the King and Queen’s landmark State Visit to France

By Anya Ryan

King Charles and the Queen Consort landed in France on Monday afternoon, six months later than the originally scheduled date of their State Visit. The couple arrived in Paris and have moved onto Bordeaux, with the tour planned to celebrate the United Kingdom’s close historical and cultural relationship with her neighbouring country.

The Royal Couple were greeted by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne at Paris-Orly airport, before heading to the city centre to begin their whirlwind schedule of engagements. Both the Queen Consort and Ms Borne looked pretty in pink, as they all greeted each other on a red carpet.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla greet French President Emmanuel Macron with his wife Brigitte Macron

To begin the tour, the King and Queen joined President and Mrs Macron for a poignant Ceremony of Remembrance and wreath laying at the Arc de Triomphe to mark the countries’ shared sacrifice and legacy. Both countries' National Anthems were played and Patrouille de France and Britain's Red Arrows flew together above the monument, leaving a trail of red, white and blue smoke in the Parisian sky. Afterwards, they greeted crowds waiting along the Champs-Elysses.

60m long banquet tables, lofty candelabra and table placement measured to the millimetre, Tatler offers a glimpse inside the 150-guest state banquet held in Paris last night

King Charles III and President of France, Emmanuel Macron at The Arc De Triomphe

To end the day, they were guests of honour at a luxurious, black-tie banquet at the Palace of Versailles – where Queen Camilla wore a dazzling Dior Haute Couture dress. The guest list included an array of British and French stars including Hugh Grant, Mick Jagger , Arsene Wenger and Didier Drogba.

King Charles III, Queen Camilla, French President Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron attending the State Banquet at the Palace of Versailles.

At the event King Charles spoke he thanked President Macron for his ‘exceptionally generous hospitality’. He went on: 'your generosity of spirit brings to mind how my family and I were so greatly moved by the tributes paid in France to my mother, the late queen … You said that she had touched your hearts – and it was she who held France in the greatest affection.’

King Charles III makes a speech at the State Banquet

There have been some individual engagements too: on Thursday the King made history as the first British monarch to address to French Senate. He used his speech to discuss the close relationship between Britain and France, but focused most intently on climate change, declaring global warming as 'our most existential challenge'.

Speaking in perfect French, King Charles said: ‘The challenge facing our planet is both great and grave. These horrifying events have once more demonstrated the fragility of so much that we hold dear.’

Last night, Queen Camilla dazzled in Dior Haute Couture, but she's not the first royal to opt for the house’s ever-elegant designs

By Chandler Tregaskes

King Charles addresses the French Senate

On Thursday morning The Queen also joined Brigitte Macron to launch a new Franco-British literary prize at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. During her speech, The Queen referenced her great love of literature and her shared passion with Ms Macron to ‘promote literacy'. ‘Through our respective work, we have seen first-hand the life changing power of books to bring us joy, comfort, companionship, laughter and tears, opening our eyes to others’ experiences and reminding us that we are not alone,' she said.

French Senators and members of the National Assembly greet Britain's King Charles at the French Senate in Paris on September 21, 2023

Their Majesties are now onto the next section of their trip, and arrived in Bordeaux on Friday afternoon. Upon arrival they were met by streets of cheering fans waving both French and Union flags. As the King and Queen shook hands with fans outside the Hotel de Ville, some shouted "God save the King".

While in Bordeaux they will meet emergency workers and communities affected by the 2022 Bordeaux wildfires at the Forêt Experimentale, a site designed to monitor the responses of urban forests to global heating. They’ll end their trip with a visit to an organic vineyard that has a focus on sustainable wine making.

France was originally intended to be the first state visit of the King’s reign back in March – a sign of his desire to forge an even stronger relationship with the European neighbour. However, with just two days' notice the trip was pushed back because of nationwide protests that erupted across the country due to Macron’s proposed changes to state pensions. Instead, the Royal Couple made Germany their first state visit, touring from Berlin to Hamburg.

This tour is the King’s 35th official visit to France and the Queen’s 9th. Their last visit was back in 2019, when they attended a service in Bayeux Cathedral to mark the 75th anniversary of the Normandy landings.

Why King Charles III’s French Visit Was Canceled

K ing Charles III’s first international trip as British monarch is off to a rocky start and it hasn’t even begun yet. Downing Street announced Friday that the new head of state will no longer travel to France as pension reform protests in the country have spiraled into violent clashes.

Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort , were due to arrive in France this Sunday for engagements in Paris and Bordeaux, before continuing to Germany early on Wednesday, where he would visit Berlin and Brandenburg before ending the trip in Hamburg on Friday. In France, they were due to lay a wreath at the Arc de Triomphe, open a new exhibition at the Musée d’Orsay, appear at the French senarew, and enjoy a banquet hosted by President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron at the Château de Versailles.

But on Thursday, France observed some of the worst violence since protests—which have ramped up since Macron forced through his pension reform plan earlier this month—began in January, and another protest is planned on Tuesday, the last day the royal couple would be there.

Buckingham Palace described the change in plans as a postponement , with the German leg of his trip still going ahead. In a statement, a spokesperson said: “Their Majesties greatly look forward to the opportunity to visit France as soon as dates can be found.”

According to the Elysée Palace, Macron reportedly told the King Friday morning that the state visit would be rescheduled “so that his majesty will be welcomed in conditions which correspond [to] our friendly relationship”.

Read More: What to Know About Pension Reform in France

The trip was planned in an effort by the British government to soothe post-Brexit tensions, which had been strained since Britain left the European Union in 2020. When the trip was announced at the start of March, Buckingham Palace described it as a way to “celebrate Britain’s relationship with France and Germany, marking our shared histories, culture and values.”

Here’s what to know about Charles’ first international state visit as King.

Why was the state visit taking place?

Charles and Camilla’s diplomatic visit was arranged by the British government to strengthen the U.K.’s strained relations with the nations. The visit was described by Buckingham Palace as looking forward to “working in partnership with France and Germany” on issues such as climate change, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, trade and investment opportunities, and arts and culture.

According to a report by Chatham House , Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government doesn’t see the merit in upholding the negative relations previous administrations had with E.U. members and it has avoided personality clashes seen with previous leadership. “Time has also healed some Brexit wounds on the continent,” the report stated, “with the UK departure from the EU now simply being accepted as a reality by European interlocutors.”

King Charles is an “ideal choice” for efforts to improve relations with E.U. members after Brexit, says James Strong, a senior lecturer in British politics and foreign policy at Queen Mary, University of London. “As a politically impartial constitutional monarch , King Charles both represents the state and does not represent its politics.” Charles’ reputation is not “tainted” by Brexit since he was not involved in the decision making, Strong notes.

“He won’t be able to solve the thorny political issues that Brexit continues to throw up. But he can help rebuild positive feelings towards Britain and the British,” Strong says, adding that the international damage caused by Brexit was largely emotional. “It’s the kind of thing a constitutional monarch can do that a politician can’t.“

Why did Macron cancel Charles’ visit?

Thursday’s protests invited more than a million French citizens to the streets to protest Macron’s pension reforms that will see the national age of retirement increased from 62 to 64.

Some cities demonstrated peacefully but violence broke out in Paris with some protesters throwing stones and fireworks at police. Around 457 people were arrested Thursday, while 441 security forces were reported injured. Bordeaux’s town hall was also set on fire Thursday. Firefighters were later able to extinguish the blaze.

Read More: Protests Sweep France After Pension Reform Is Forced Through by Macron

In an interview with French broadcasters Wednesday, Macron defended his decision saying “That reform is not a luxury, it is not fun. It’s a necessity for the country.”

Yet the optics of a visit by the monarch to the proud republic amid the backlash may have been what prompted Macron to cancel Charles’ trip to the country.

“Macron is a pushy person in his own way. And he made sure at the Queen’s funeral that he was going to nail down Charles for the first state visit to France, the traditional Frenemy of Britain,” says Clare McHugh, a royal historian and author. Just 12 days after Queen Elizabeth’s death on September 8, the Daily Telegraph reported that Macron and Charles had bonded over environmental causes and a first state visit to France was expected above a Commonwealth destination.

But McHugh says Macron would likely have felt uncomfortable hosting Charles for lavish banquets at Versailles and other excursions amid public dissatisfaction. Postponing the trip while “people are disputing in the streets about what the modern society in France should look like” seems to be for the best, she says.

What does this mean for King Charles?

While the state visit is not off the cards, and merely postponed, it’s an unfortunate change to a historic first for Charles as monarch. McHugh says that Charles has “poor luck” and would be the first to admit it.

Strong says that, while unfortunate, it could ultimately work to Charles’ advantage: “The King does relationship-building, not deal-making,” he says. “He can go another time, and he’ll have more impact in calmer times when he’ll generate more media coverage.”

Charles still has an opportunity to make an impact on the international stage when he arrives in Germany with the Queen Consort on Wednesday. Their schedule includes a ceremonial welcome by President Steinmeier and First Lady Elke Büdenbender at the Brandenburg Gate, a state banquet hosted by the pair, meetings with Ukrainian refugees, and a visit to the Komische Oper opera house.

“France’s loss is Germany’s gain and he’s immensely popular there,” says Hugo Vickers, a royal commentator, “I’m sure he will be immensely welcomed there.”

McHugh believes the trip now has a deeper symbolic meaning because it brings the British monarchy back to its German roots, which she says were severed by the two World Wars.

“Maybe this will be a moment when the German connection will be revived,” she says.

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Write to Armani Syed at [email protected]