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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Matt Watts and Bill McLoughlin

King Charles and Queen Camilla’s state visit to France confirmed for late September

The King and Queen’s state visit to France, which was postponed in March after widespread rioting, will now take place from September 20 to 22, Buckingham Palace has announced.

Charles and Camilla had been due to visit Paris and then Bordeaux but the trip was shelved following the riots sparked by Emmanuel Macron’s pension reforms.

It was announced on Thursday that the rescheduled visit will see the pair travel to France next month in order to “celebrate the shared history, culture and values” of the two countries.

The visit will mark Charles’ 35th official visit to France and Camilla’s 9th.

Further details are set to be announced but it is thought Charles and Camilla will be greeted by Emmanuel Macron and his wife in the French capital before they head to Bordeaux.

In March, Gerald Darmanin, France’s Interior Minister, then warned that “blood and fire protests” had threatened the King and Queen.

At the time, Paris was gripped by widespread chaos as the police battled large crowds across the capital protesting against Mr Macron’s unpopular raising of the pension age from 62 to 64.

Threats including the words “death to the King” convinced Mr Macron to halt the visit while just days before the royals touched down, rioters set the entrance of a town hall in Bordeaux alight.

Mr Macron’s favourite restaurant La Rotonde – the place where the head of state celebrated his 2017 presidential election win - was also raided during the violence.

Due to the unrest, Charles and Camilla made their historic first state visit as King and Queen to Germany, instead of France.

While there, Charles gave a speech where he said he could “hardly begin to express the pride” he felt in the relationship between the two countries and spoke fondly of his “cherished” family ties to Germany.

He also thanked the country for its kindness following the death of his mother, the late Queen.

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