King Charles III’s first state visit as monarch was scaled back on Friday, dashed hopes for a triumphal tour to win hearts and minds abroad in the same way his mother did during her 70 years on the throne.
The visit of Charles and Camilla to France has been postponed due to nationwide protests against President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to reform the pension system. The trip to Germany will proceed as planned.
After six years of wrangling over Brexit, Charles’ initial plan was to visit France and Germany, the two largest countries in the European Union. However, domestic problems in France put a stop to that.
The British prime minister’s Downing Street office issued a statement saying, “The king and queen consort’s State Visit to France has been postponed.” “This decision was made with the agreement of all parties after the French president requested that the visit be postponed by the British government.”
Buckingham Palace said another date would be found
“Their Majesties eagerly await the opportunity to visit France as soon as dates are available,” the palace said in a statement.
In response to Macron’s proposal to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, French labor unions have called for a day of nationwide protests and strikes on Tuesday. The king was scheduled to travel to the western city of Bordeaux on that day, with much security and ceremony, and the protests would have complicated his journey.
On Wednesday, Charles and Camilla will begin their first state visit to Germany, where they will be greeted with military honors by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate.
On Thursday, King George VI will deliver a speech to the Bundestag, meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and meet with Ukrainian refugees and military personnel.
On Friday, he travels to Hamburg to visit the Kindertransport memorial for Jewish children who fled from Germany to Britain during the Third Reich, as well as to attend a green energy event before returning to the UK in the evening.
