After pageantry and politics in Paris, Britain's King Charles III heads south Friday to Bordeaux to focus on a more personal passion: the environment.
Charles will meet emergency workers and communities affected by wildfires in the Bordeaux region last year, and visit an experimental forest designed to monitor the impact of climate on urban woodlands.
The king and Queen Camilla are also scheduled to visit a vineyard known for its sustainable approach to wine making, in a region where wine exports are a pillar of the economy. Severe drought last year forced Bordeaux's earliest-ever harvest, and it has long been working to adapt to climate change.
Friday’s events mark the third and last day of a state visit aimed at shoring up the alliance between Britain and France. Charles’ warm words toward France have been met with a standing ovation in the Senate and even cheers of “Long Live the King!”
After flying in to Bordeaux from Paris, the king and queen will ride a tram to the main city square. They will also join a reception on a royal navy frigate.
The city is home to a large British community, and the king and queen will meet with Britons running businesses in the region.
In an address to the French Senate on Thursday, Charles praised France and the United Kingdom’s “indispensable relationship” and its capacity to meet the world’s challenges, including Russia’s war in Ukraine and climate change. He called for a new ‘’entente for sustainability.''
He also spoke about his concern for the climate in his toast at an opulent state dinner in the Palace of Versailles on Wednesday evening.
The king’s comments came after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced he was watering down some of Britain’s climate commitments, including pushing back a ban on new gas and diesel cars from 2030 to 2035.
