King Charles' Plea to France: Monarch Asks Nation to 'Reinvigorate' Its Relationship With Britain in the Wake of Brexit
King Charles asked France to 'reinvigorate' its relationship with Britain in an emotional speech.
King Charles III gave a pleading speech during the state banquet in his honor at Paris' Palace of Versailles last night.
"The connections between our people are myriad and represent the lifeblood of our Entente Cordiale, which was inspired by my great-great-grandfather, King Edward VII," the monarch stated.
"As we look ahead to the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale in 2024, it is incumbent upon us all to reinvigorate our friendship to ensure it is fit for the challenges of this, the 21st century," the King added.
The sovereign and Queen Camilla are in Paris as part of their three-day state visit to Britain's closest neighbor on the European continent. The duo will undertake engagements in the capital and the city of Bordeaux in the second such tour of the King's reign so far. The monarch and his Queen were set to tour the two cities in March before heading to Germany, however, social unrest erupted across French streets thanks to President Emmanuel Macron's new pension law.
The visit was arranged by Britain's Foreign Office as a way to ease tensions that arose between the two allies after Brexit was enacted in 2016. Macron has always been passionate about his admiration of the British royal family, particularly the King's late mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Charles III paid homage to her and his late father, Prince Philip, in his speech.
"Your generosity of spirit brings to mind how my family and I were so greatly moved by the tributes paid in France to my mother, the late Queen, whose funeral took place one year ago yesterday," His Majesty shared in fluent French.
"My parents’ first official visit together was to France in 1948, shortly after their wedding," Charles III added.
"By all accounts, they made quite a splash, dancing till the early hours at the glamorous Chez Carrere in the Rue Pierre Charron, serenaded by Edith Piaf. I suspect it may have left an indelible impression on me, even six months before I was born — 'La Vie en Rose' is one of my favorite songs to this day!"
Today, Their Majesties took part in several engagements around the City of Light, including the King's address to the French Senate and Her Majesty's "embarrassing" game of table tennis with Brigitte Macron. Both visited Notre-Dame Cathedral to oversee renovation efforts after a catastrophic fire ravished the ancient building in the spring of 2019.
"My wife and I were utterly heartbroken to learn of the terrible fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral," the then-Prince of Wales observed at the time of the fire. "It is a treasure for all mankind, and, as such, to witness its destruction in this most dreadful conflagration is a shattering tragedy, the unbearable pain of which we all share."
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Daily Express reported on King Charles' speech.
