French President Emmanuel Macron will make a state visit to the United Kingdom in July, as the two countries seek to bolster ties to counter Russian aggression and the economic fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive trade policy.
Macron and his wife, Brigitte, will stay at Windsor Castle for the visit, which will take place from July 8 to July 10, Buckingham Palace said Tuesday.
The dates mean that Macron will likely beat Trump to London. Charles in February invited Trump to make an unprecedented second state visit to Britain, but a date hasn’t yet been set.
Charles and Queen Camilla traveled to France in September 2023 in a visit that highlighted the historic ties between Britain and its closest European neighbor. The trip came after years of sometimes prickly relations strained by Britain’s exit from the European Union and disagreements over the growing number of migrants crossing the English Channel on small boats.
Speaking to French lawmakers in the Senate chamber in Paris on the second day of that visit, Charles said the alliance between Britain and France was more important than ever as he recalled how they had worked together to defeat Nazi Germany.
Charles was a frequent visitor to France before becoming king, making 35 official visits to the country as heir to the throne.
The last time a French head of state made a state visit to Britain was in March 2008, when President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, were the guests of Queen Elizabeth II.
State visits are ceremonial meetings between heads of state that are used to honor friendly nations and sometimes smooth relations between rivals. While the king formally issues the invitation for a state visit, he does so on the advice of the elected government.
State visits to Britain are particularly prized by some heads of state because they come with a full complement of royal pomp and circumstance, including military reviews, carriage rides and a gl