King Charles says UK will ‘always be one of France’s closest allies and best friends’ in historic speech

UK

The King has said the UK will always be one of France’s “best friends” in the first ever speech by a British monarch to the French Senate. 

Addressing politicians from both the upper and the lower houses of parliament, the King said the friendship between the two countries “remains utterly vital as, together, we confront the challenges of our world”.

“Quite simply, the United Kingdom will always be one of France’s closest allies and best friends,” he said.

The King and Queen will then head to Saint-Denis, north of Paris, to meet community sports groups and stars as France hosts the Rugby World Cup.

Image:
King Charles arrives at the French Senate

He will later visit the Paris flower market named after Queen Elizabeth II and rejoin French president Emmanuel Macron – who he was with during a banquet last night – in front of Notre-Dame Cathedral to see the ongoing renovation work aimed at reopening the monument by the end of next year, after it was devastated by a fire in 2019.

It comes after Charles attended a ceremony at Paris’ Arc de Triomphe and the dinner at the Palace of Versailles yesterday on the first day of the visit.

The King will end his trip on Friday with a stop in Bordeaux, the southwestern city that is home to a large British community.

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Image:
King Charles and Emmanuel Macron attending a remembrance ceremony at Arc de Triomphe Paris, France yesterday

The trip was previously postponed due to widespread riots in March.

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