French unions unfurled a giant banner across the English coast on Thursday to salute Britain’s King Charles III. goad after his first foreign state visit to France was cancelled.
“Sorry Charles, see you later,” read the banner unfurled by union activists a week after President Emmanuel Macron postponed Charles’s planned visit at the last minute.
Macron said nationwide union-led protests and strikes over controversial pension reforms had prevented France from welcoming Charles as he had hoped.
With the trip postponed, it fell to Germany to host Charles for his first trip abroad as monarch, where he was lavishly received on Wednesday and Thursday.
About 100 French unionists unfurled the banner at Cap Blanc Nez, a point outside the northern city of Calais, one of France’s closest points to England.
French unionists unfurl banners, including one reading “Sorry Charles, see you later”, after Britain’s King Charles III’s trip to France was postponed
It took place at the summit of Cap Blanc-Nez near Escalles in northern France in the wake of violent protests against pension reform
They fought against the wind on the cliffs, but succeeded in unfurling the banner so that it was clearly visible from the shore.
The postponement of the visit forced Charles to abandon plans for a state banquet at the Palace of Versailles outside Paris and a trip to the southwestern city of Bordeaux.
Macron said the visit could take place in early summer, but it remains unclear whether Charles will find a place in his schedule.
Macron said nationwide union-led protests and strikes over controversial pension reforms had prevented France from welcoming Charles as he had hoped
Riot police surround a man lying on the pavement during clashes during a protest against the government’s pension reforms in Paris
It comes after the French government, using Article 49.3 of the constitution, pushed for pension reform without a vote by parliament
It comes as the biggest security operation in French history took place on Tuesday in response to French citizens taking to the streets hoping for “blood and fire”.
Gérald Darmanin, the country’s interior minister, said it would require an “unprecedented effort” from law enforcement.
READ MORE: King Charles becomes first British monarch to deliver landmark speech in German to Bundestag as he pays tribute to his late mother the Queen, citing The Beatles and Kraftwerk and the Lionesses’ Euro 2022 victory in Germany jokes
Britain’s King Charles addresses members of the Lower House in the Bundestag, earning laughter and thunderous applause as he speaks in German
Up to a million people took part in protests against President Emmanuel Macron for raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 without a parliamentary vote.
Darmanin said on Tuesday: “Radicalized elements of the left and ultra-left want to hijack the trade union marches.”
“Their aim is to bring fire and blood to France,” he added, saying that 13,000 police and gendarmes would be mobilized, 5,500 of them in Paris alone. They are supported by armored cars, water cannons and military units in reserve.
More than seven million French people tuned in to live broadcasts of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September, revealing a surprising fascination with the monarchy for a country credited with giving birth to the revolution.
A 2016 poll found that 17 percent of French people would support a king or queen taking on the role of head of state, like the British monarchy.
Catherine Marshall, professor of British studies, told RFI that in France there is “great love from the queen herself”.
After her death, however, Marshall wondered if France would share the same love for the new king.
She said: “I’m not sure King Charles III will be able to have as much love and compassion as Queen Elizabeth II. But at the same time I think the same questions are being asked in Britain.”
King Charles III visits the Tegel Refugee Center in Berlin, Germany on March 30, 2023
Conversely, Germans have warmly welcomed King Charles, as many adore the Queen and respect his own love of Germany – a country he has visited more than 40 times since he was 13, royal experts and distant relatives said today.
Alexander von Schoenburg, who is married to Prince Philip’s great-niece, Princess Irina of Hesse, said Charles had always wanted Germany to be the destination of his first state visit – not France as planned this week.
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the British King Charles speak during a visit to the 130th German-British Engineer Bridge Battalion in Finowfurt
Charles’ environmental campaign also appeals to Germans, he said.
“Charles is very close to Germany. He sees us as pioneers in the field of climate and environmental protection. He has been here more than 40 times, also with his family members,” Graf von Schönburg said, adding: “I know from a very reliable source that as a sign of his unique love, he chose Germany as the destination of his very first state visit wanted for our country’.
Royal biographer Tom Bower told MailOnline: “Germans are pro-British, have admired the Queen and respect Charles’ many interests in environmental architecture and alternative medicine in particular. His German family ties are particularly popular in Hamburg and Berlin. He has a natural affinity for educated Germans.
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Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
