London: British King Charles is set to host French President Emmanuel Macron on a state visit to the UK from July 8-10, as announced by Buckingham Palace. The French leader and his wife, Brigitte Macron, will stay at Windsor Castle and will be honored with a state banquet at the historic Berkshire royal residence.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Buckingham Palace confirmed, "The President of the French Republic, His Excellency Emmanuel Macron, accompanied by Mrs. Brigitte Macron, has accepted an invitation from His Majesty The King to pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom in July. The President and Mrs. Macron would stay at Windsor Castle," it stated. This visit marks the first state visit by President Macron to the UK since he took office eight years ago.
The King and Queen had previously undertaken a state visit to France in September 2023, where they enjoyed a warm rapport with the French leader and his wife. Further cementing the relationship, Camilla embraced Mrs. Macron in December during a meeting in London for the Entente Litteraire Prize award ceremony, which celebrates Anglo-French literature aimed at teenagers and young adults.
Due to ongoing refurbishments at Buckingham Palace, state visits have been relocated to Windsor for the foreseeable future. The last state visit from France to the UK was in March 2008, when President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni were guests of the late Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor.
The upcoming visit is seen as part of the UK Government's efforts to strengthen ties with Europe and protect its economy following the turmoil caused by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs. The event precedes a planned meeting between King Charles and Mr. Trump, reportedly being arranged for September.
The UK recently struck an economic deal with the American leader, which included cutting tariffs on car exports, reducing tariffs on steel and aluminum, and maintaining a 10 percent baseline tariff on most goods. Meanwhile, the UK Government is engaged in talks with the EU concerning its trade and security relationship ahead of a summit scheduled for later in May.
Despite ongoing cancer treatment, King Charles has a busy schedule of engagements, including an overseas visit to Canada to open the country's parliament at the end of May.