French President Emmanuel Macron will attend the king’s coronation to show Britain’s “friendship, respect and appreciation”.
President Macron has confirmed that he will attend the coronation of King Charles III
He said he would appear to show his “friendship, respect and appreciation” for the United Kingdom on Saturday 6 May at Westminster Abbey.
It comes after pressure on Macron to ask the king to cancel the planned first trip of his reign in March due to nationwide riots over his pension reforms.
The headlines in France last month also talked aboutReconciliationPrime Minister Rishi Sunak also met the French leader at a summit to celebrate a “new beginning” and “turn the page” on the differences that have existed between the two countries since Brexit.
A French diplomatic source said times: Relations with the United Kingdom are very important to the French authorities. We are ready to build on the new chapter opened at the bilateral summit in March.
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during his joint statement with Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves Robles at the Elysee Palace in Paris.
King Charles III inspects the 200th King’s Parade at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
King Charles is fluent in French and has a great admiration for the country, just like his mother who made six state visits during her reign.
More than 2,000 people are expected to attend the king’s coronation.
READ MORE: William ‘still feels betrayed’ by Harry as King Charles uses coronation to ‘mend family feuds’
Germany and Italy will send their presidents, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Sergio Mattarella, instead of their heads of government, Olaf Scholz and Georgia Meloni.
US President Joe Biden will not be attending after spending four days in Ireland last week, but his wife, Jill, will.
The Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, and the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shahbaz Sharif, also said they were leaving.
On Friday, insiders revealed that Prince Harry had a ‘heart-to-heart’ with his father, King Charles, over his invitation to the coronation ceremony before agreeing to attend after weeks of talks about the security of the event.
Sources have previously said there have been weeks of negotiations, akin to “table tennis across the Atlantic”, between Harry and Buckingham Palace over what role he might play, where he might sit and security arrangements.
It was discovered that King Charles did not invite Sarah Ferguson to his coronation – meaning his ex-wife’s sister would have to watch the event on TV.
The 63-year-old Duchess of York, nicknamed “Fergie,” still lives with her ex-husband, Prince Andrew, at Windsor Castle at the Royal Lodge despite their divorce in 1996.
But now she is not expected to attend the coronation although Andrew and their daughters Beatrice and Eugenie are due to be there.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak leaves the Conservative campaign headquarters
