British State Visit to France, 20-22 Sep 2023

[muriel]

First clues about the program are out :

https://www.europe1.fr/politique/in...a-visite-du-roi-charles-iii-en-france-4201825

Apparently the State Dinner at Versailles is still on, so i stand corrected.

Tickets for Versailles for the 20th and 21 st are not sold anymore.

I am sure more details will be revealed closer to the time.

 

[victor1319]

Apparently the State Dinner at Versailles is still on...

Here in Germany little to nothing is reported by the media about France.

How is the mood there? The yellow vest movement seems to have disappeared... I just wonder, because if I think or hear Versailles, I somewhat think of the French Revolution and the "Off with their heads!"...

So, President Macron, who was said to have dictatorial traits... and a real King in Versailles... This is not too far stretched!

 

[Nico]

Here in Germany little to nothing is reported by the media about France.

How is the mood there? The yellow vest movement seems to have disappeared... I just wonder, because if I think or hear Versailles, I somewhat think of the French Revolution and the "Off with their heads!"...

So, President Macron, who was said to have dictatorial traits... and a real King in Versailles... This is not too far stretched!

The mood is "business as usual" and the streets are relatively calm. Strikes and protests French style are scheduled as expected for october.

Versailles is a traditionnal setting to entertain foreign Heads of states. there will be some comments from the Left of course, as expected too.

 

[Durham]

I've always thought Fontainebleau much lovelier than Versailles. Are state visits ever hosted there?

 

[An Ard Ri]

I've always thought Fontainebleau much lovelier than Versailles. Are state visits ever hosted there?

Yes I agree it's a beautiful setting but it has not been used for a State Visit in over 100 years.

 

[Durham]

That's a pity. It would make a glorious setting for a state event.

It is a bit further out from Paris I suppose.

 

[Nico]

I've always thought Fontainebleau much lovelier than Versailles. Are state visits ever hosted there?

There were some private visits , including the then princess Elizabeth and Baudouin and Fabiola but Fontainebleau didn't host any State Events since the 19th century ( Except maybe the European summit back in 1984).

The distance from Paris being of course the main reason.

 

[Durham]

Thank you Nico.

Are the Louvre or Compiegne ever used?

 

[Nico]

Thank you Nico.

Are the Louvre or Compiegne ever used?

The Louvre hosted State dinners for QEII in 1957 and Baudouin in 1961. QE II attended a "post State dinner tour" with President Mitterand in 1992. Most recently a State Dinner for the Indian PM was held last july.

Compiegne was only used once by the Republic : in 1901 for the Tsar (who slept in Napoleon's bed ). A Franco-Germano-Russian summit was organized in 2006 though.

 

[Durham]

Interesting. I shall look up those two visits by the late queen.?

 

[Nico]

The French presidency confirmed today some key points of the visit :

https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/r...r-le-climat-avec-emmanuel-macron_6044873.html

- State welcome on the Champs Elysées
- Meeting at the Elysée palace
- State dinner at Versailles
- Visits with climate change and sport as main topics
- A special program for the Queen with Mrs Macron : visit to the French National Library and the launch of a Franco-british literature prize.
- A quick stay in Bordeaux.

 

[An Ard Ri]

I wonder if there will be a visit to Notre Dame?

 

[muriel]

The French presidency confirmed today some key points of the visit :

https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/r...r-le-climat-avec-emmanuel-macron_6044873.html

- State welcome on the Champs Elysées
- Meeting at the Elysée palace
- State dinner at Versailles
- Visits with climate change and sport as main topics
- A special program for the Queen with Mrs Macron : visit to the French National Library and the launch of a Franco-british literature prize.
- A quick stay in Bordeaux.

I hope the dinner at Versailles includes tiaras for the Queen.

There is some noise on Twitter about the dinner being black-tie, but I haven't seen anything official yet.

 

[Nico]

I hope the dinner at Versailles includes tiaras for the Queen.

There is some noise on Twitter about the dinner being black-tie, but I haven't seen anything official yet.

It will be probably Black Tie but with tiara for the Queen, like the previous State visits of QEII from 1992.

 

[muriel]

It will be probably Black Tie but with tiara for the Queen, like the previous State visits of QEII from 1992.

I hope that is indeed the case.

 

[Nico]

Programme details confirmed by BP :

https://www.royal.uk/news-and-activ...-queen-will-undertake-a-state-visit-to-france

 

[Durham]

Sounds brilliant. The City of Light en fete for a state visit is the very epitome of grandeur.

 

[Mbruno]

I hope the dinner at Versailles includes tiaras for the Queen.

There is some noise on Twitter about the dinner being black-tie, but I haven't seen anything official yet.

Even if the dinner is black tie, I am pretty sure Queen Camilla will wear a tiara, as Queen Elizabeth II often did at black-tie state dinners.

The only difference if the dress code is black tie is that orders will not be worn. The Queen might refrain, however, from going "too big" on her jewelry (not Camilla's style anyway, or so it seems).

Frankly it is better to have a black-tie dinner with Macron wearing a proper dinner jacket than have him wear again his awkward morning coat at a white-tie dinner as he did in Belgium and Denmark.

 

[Nico]

Sounds brilliant. The City of Light en fete for a state visit is the very epitome of grandeur.

The City of Light lost quite a deal of panache lately (not to mention work absolutely everywhere due to the Olympics next year (including Versailles)).

Really hope the visit will be smooth and without incidents.

 

[doro]

Would be interessant if the French pretendents to throne attend the state visit.

 

[VictoriaB]

Would be interessant if the French royals attend the state visit.

There aren’t any French royals just descendants from the former Royal Families. France is a republic and has been for over 100 years. To pretend otherwise is like pretending that King Charles is an Irish royal or an Indian royal as he is descended from the last Emperor of India and last King of Ireland, and a more recent descendant than any of the descendants of the French families.

Inviting descendants of German royal families to the German visit was one thing - the King is related by blood or marriage to many of those descendants and it has been reported that he still has a close relationship with those families (or at least some of them). As far as I am aware, there is no link or relationship with the descendants of the former French royal families.

 

[Mbruno]

There aren’t any French royals just descendants from the former Royal Families. France is a republic and has been for over 100 years. To pretend otherwise is like pretending that King Charles is an Irish royal or an Indian royal as he is descended from the last Emperor of India and last King of Ireland, and a more recent descendant than any of the descendants of the French families.

Inviting descendants of German royal families to the German visit was one thing - the King is related by blood or marriage to many of those descendants and it has been reported that he still has a close relationship with those families (or at least some of them). As far as I am aware, there is no link or relationship with the descendants of the former French royal families.

The alternative Jacobite heirs to the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland, on the other hand, descend from the founder of the House of Orleans.

 

[Marengo]

Would be interessant if the French royals attend the state visit.

I don't think the Orleans family is close to the British Royals. Alexandra of Kent stayed with the late counts of Paris and their children over half a century ago [to practise her French perhaps].But other than that... I don't think even the Kings of Spain and of the Belgians invited any Orleans to attend parts of the state visit.

 

[VictoriaB]

The alternative Jacobite heirs to the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland, on the other hand, descend from the founder of the House of Orleans.

But the Jacobites are not the lawful monarchs of England, Scotland or Ireland and they have not been invited to make a state visit to France by the French government.

 

[maria-olivia]

No they are never invited , which one should be , the Comte de Paris, le Duc d' Anjou , le Prince Napoléon ??
But at Bordeaux the King will certainluy meet HRH Prince Charles of Luxmbourg , the owner of the bordelais empire Domaine Charles Dillon (his grand father) and the famous Haut Brion.

King III of Great Britain and President Macron of France before the tomb of the unknown Soldier will be a great moment for me.

 

[Nico]

No they are never invited , which one should be , the Comte de Paris, le Duc d' Anjou , le Prince Napoléon ??
But at Bordeaux the King will certainluy meet HRH Prince Charles of Luxmbourg , the owner of the bordelais empire Domaine Charles Dillon (his grand father) and the famous Haut Brion.

Not true. For instance the then Princess Napoléon was invited to the Spanish State dinner at the Elysee Palace back in 2006.


https://media.gettyimages.com/id/13...=YV9mSz-oLEiBSynSgLCeTbShkKXFiqjtrv8Saz6LAd0=

It depends on the personnal links of course, but the presence of a member of a former French reigning houses at a Republican dinner is plausible.

 

[maria-olivia]

This was 17 years ago ! The Princess Napoléon was seen on a lot of events such as the Comtesse de Paris and others .
The President was then Jacques Chiirac whose wife was member of the french nobility and a " mondaine"
But perhaps I am wrong ,

 

[Nico]

I wonder if there will be a visit to Notre Dame?

Apparently they will :

Champs-Élysées, Versailles, Bordeaux : le programme de la visite de Charles III et Camilla en France

Le nouveau souverain britannique et sa royale épouse entament mercredi une visite en France, qui débutera à Paris et se terminera vendredi à Bordeaux.

www.lefigaro.fr

 

[doro]

King Charles will give an speech at the National Assembly. It is true?

 

[Nico]

King Charles will give an speech at the National Assembly. It is true?

No. He will give a speech at the Senate, the more conservative high Chamber.