The state visit of King Charles III to France, scheduled for Sunday to Wednesday, is “postponed”, “given the announcement of a new national day of action against pension reform” Tuesday March 28, a announced the Elysée.
The decision was “taken by the French and British governments, after a telephone exchange between the President of the Republic and the King this morning, in order to be able to welcome His Majesty King Charles III under conditions which correspond to our relationship of friendship. “, writes the French presidency in a press release, promising a rescheduling of the visit “as soon as possible”.
King Charles and Camilla are looking forward to going to France “as soon as dates can be found”, responded Buckingham Palace.
A tense social context
This announcement comes the day after a 9th day of demonstrations throughout France against the flagship reform of the Head of State, marked by a very strong mobilization and an increase in violence in the processions. For this single day, 441 police officers and gendarmes were injured. No figures are available regarding the demonstrators.
On the evening of this mobilization, the inter-union called for a new day of demonstrations and strikes on Tuesday.
Under these conditions, the king’s visit aroused the greatest concern. Its precise program had not been published when Charles III was due to land in Paris on Sunday evening. In particular, he was to speak on Monday in front of senators and deputies and participate in a state dinner at the Palace of Versailles, in the company of Queen Consort Camilla.
“The meeting of kings at Versailles dispersed by popular censorship”, quipped on Twitter the leader of insubordinate France Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
UK Ambassador to France Peter Ricketts expressed his understanding. “It would have been a difficult decision. But understandable. State visits are a time for celebration and now was not the time“, he said.