It was to be his first official visit to France as King, and his first major outing outside the UK since his accession to the throne. Charles III had planned to come to France from March 26 to 29, 2023, and to Paris, to meet Emmanuel Macron. This trip was finally postponed"in order to welcome him in conditions that correspond to our friendly relationship", according to the Élysée Palace. The reason? The days of strikes against pension reform were particularly severe at the time. In the end, he and Camilla will be in Paris and Bordeaux from September 20 to 22, 2023.
The sovereign will attend an official commemoration ceremony at theArc de Triomphe, before heading to the Élysée Palace, then to Parliament, for a speech to senators and deputies. A visit that should have continued at the Manet/Degas exhibition at the Musée d'Orsay, replaced instead by a meeting with sports groups and stars, since the King's visit will take place during the Rugby World Cup 2023.
As planned at the beginning of the year, a state banquet will be held at the Château de Versailles, which at the time had crystallized many tensions. Finally, the Queen Consort and Brigitte Macron will launch a Franco-British literary prize at the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Emmanuel Macron had invited King Charles III shortly after the death of Elizabeth II was announced, in order to "illustrate the depth of the historical ties that unite our two countries".
This will be the 35th visit to France by Charles III, who speaks French fluently, having traveled extensively in France as Crown Prince.
Dates and Opening Time
From September 20, 2023 to September 22, 2023
