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King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla are postponing their pre-coronation trip to France and waiting for a safer time to travel.
The royal Couple has decided to reschedule their visit to the country, which was supposed to commence in Paris on Sunday, after several days of protests in the capital and Bordeaux area that have turned increasingly violent. French President Emmanuel Macron‘s office at the Élysée Palace first announced the news of the canceled trip via a statement early Friday morning and the BBC later reported that this decision followed discussions with the U.K. Government. Buckingham Palace also released a statement of its own regarding the decision, confirming the postponement due to the situation in France as well as the duo’s intent to visit Germany later this week. “The King and The Queen Consort’s State Visit to France has been postponed,” the palace said. “Their Majesties greatly look forward to the opportunity to visit France as soon as dates can be found.”
This trip was set to be the royal couple’s first overseas tour since their reign began. But after thousands of people took to the streets in France this week to protest President Macron’s decision to push through legislation raising the age of retirement from 62 to 64 without a vote from Parliament, Charles and Camilla’s arrival seemed increasingly unlikely. On Wednesday, palace officials said that they were monitoring developments closely and would be following the advice of the U.K.’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office and their French counterparts.
The royal visit was set to be a grand one with an elegant state banquet held at the Chateau de Versailles just outside of Paris, and a visit to Bordeaux scheduled where the pair would be taken on a tour of an organic vineyard. This trip overseas was originally intended to “celebrate the U.K.’s Relationship with France and Germany, marking our shared histories, culture and values,” a palace representative said earlier this month. While the first leg of that trip has been postponed, Charles and Camilla still have much to look forward to with their visit to Germany on March 29. The trip will begin with a stop in Berlin before moving on to Brandenburg and Hamburg. The pair are set to receive a ceremonial welcome from President Steinmeier and Frau Büdenbender at the Brandenburg Gate, marking the first time any visiting head of state has received such a welcome at that site. They will also be the guests of honor at a state banquet, and King Charles is expected to address the Bundestag, or federal legislature, during the trip as well.
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