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King Charles will travel to France and Germany for his first state visit since becoming king, Buckingham Palace said on Friday, underscoring Britain’s efforts to build bridges with its European neighbors after years of strained relations caused by Brexit.
Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, will visit the EU’s two largest countries on March 26-31, hosted by President Emmanuel Macron of France and Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany, the palace announced.
The trip will be an opportunity to celebrate the history and values shared by the nations, their commitment to protecting the environment and cooperation in the fight against Ukraine, the palace said.
Highlighting the importance of the trip is the fact that it will be the first state visit by a British monarch since 2015; the late Queen Elizabeth stopped traveling abroad in later years.
The announcement comes just days after Charles met European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at Windsor Castle and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a breakthrough in talks to resolve the dispute over post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland.
Sunak will be worried about using the soft power of the monarchy to highlight the thaw in the relationship between the UK and the EU, which has been strained by Britain’s decision to leave the bloc.
The trip to France and Germany was made at the request of the British government and at the invitation of the two governments, the palace said.
The royals will travel first to France, where they will be greeted by Macron and attend a memorial service at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Charles will later meet with members of the National Assembly and Senate and attend a state banquet at the Chateau de Versailles.
The France trip will also include a trip to Bordeaux, which is home to a large English community. The royal couple plan to visit an organic vineyard and one of the areas devastated by last summer’s wildfires.
Charles and Camilla are scheduled to travel to Germany on March 29, where they will be welcomed by Steinmeier and Charles plans to address the Bundestag, the German parliament. Steinmeier will also host a state party for the royal couple.
soft power
Charles will also meet with Ukrainian refugees in Germany, visit a joint British-German military unit and travel to Hamburg, where he will visit a sustainable energy project.
While the royals have ceded most of their power to the country’s elected leaders, the aura of monarchy and the pomp and ceremony of royal visits are still seen as a way to burnish Britain’s image and strengthen ties with countries around the world.
This role is described by Elizabeth, who made 121 state visits during her 70-year reign, royal historian Robert Hardman who led to the nickname “Queen of the World”.
When Charles met von der Leyen on Monday, Buckingham Palace was quick to confirm that he was working with the government.
“The king is very happy to meet with world leaders, if he visits the UK, and the government should do so,” the royal said before the meeting.
Charles on friendly terms with Macron
The French leg of the trip may have special meaning for Charles, who is said to have forged a close relationship with Macron because of the two’s focus on protecting the environment and fighting climate change.
Cooperation was also expressed by the German president. In a video message, Steinmeier said he finally met Charles at Elizabeth’s funeral and invited him to visit Germany as king. He said Charles’ decision to visit a year and a half later showed that the King valued the friendship between Germany and England.
The German president said Charles’ decision to travel to Germany and France “is also an important European gesture.”
“I want to say to him, but of course also to all British people: We in Germany, we in Europe, want close and friendly relations with Britain after Brexit as well,” Steinmeier said.
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