Will the strikes and the social movement against pension reform in France alter the schedule of the King of England’s state visit? According to Downing Street, no. The British Government assured this Thursday “not to be aware of any change in plans” regarding the visit of Carlos III to France.
But in a sign that the program for Carlos III’s visit could be set at the last minute, a source close to Emmanuel Macron told AFP, on condition of anonymity, that “the program is still being drawn up by both parties.”
In addition, the arrangements for the press are still pending, something rare for a trip of such diplomatic importance.
King Charles is due to arrive in France on Sunday. He is supposed to land at Orly airport in the evening and will be received there by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne.
The monarch is expected as part of his first state visit since his accession to the throne in September and two months before his coronation, which will take place on May 6. Accompanied by his wife, Queen Camila, Carlos III will remain in France until March 29 before traveling to Germany until March 31.
A dinner at the Élysée?
In particular, the king must attend a ceremony under the Arc de Triomphe with President Emmanuel Macron and participate in a banquet at the Palace of Versailles on Monday night. According to information from BFMTV, the authorities planned to organize this dinner in another place on Thursday night, possibly at the Elysée Palace.
Charles III is then expected to visit an organic vineyard in Bordeaux, as well as visiting the region devastated by forest fires last summer.
The unions mobilized against the pension reform in France have already announced that initiatives will be carried out around the royal visit, a fact that is “in the crosshairs” of the protesters according to a source from the CGT union among railway workers.
Engaged tram for the king
In Bordeaux, the second stage of the trip, the tram visit planned for the royal couple seems compromised. “It is almost certain that the king will not be able to take the tram” because of service disruption warnings, Pascal Mesgueni of the CFTC union told the Sud-Ouest newspaper.
For its part, the Mobilier Nacional, a public establishment under the Ministry of Culture, affirmed this Thursday that the red carpet will be well deployed during this visit, despite the call by the CGT strikers to ensure “neither the furniture, nor the red” . carpets, nor the flags”.
“The National Furniture is in charge of rolling out this famous red carpet and the non-striking agents, who represent the vast majority of our workforce, will be in charge of it,” said its communication director, Loïc Turpin.
Source: BFM TV
