Buckingham Palace has announced that King Charles III will welcome French President Emmanuel Macron for a state visit to the United Kingdom from July 8-10.
The French leader will be accompanied by his wife, Brigitte Macron, during their stay at Windsor Castle.
In an official statement, Buckingham Palace said: “The President of the French Republic, His Excellency Emmanuel Macron, accompanied by Mrs Brigitte Macron, has accepted an invitation from His Majesty The King to pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom in July. The President and Mrs Macron would stay at Windsor Castle.”
The visit marks Macron’s first state visit to Britain since taking office eight years ago. The French couple will be honored with a state banquet at the historic royal residence in Berkshire.
This reciprocal visit follows King Charles and Queen Camilla’s successful state visit to France in September 2023, where they established a warm relationship with the Macrons. The royal couple’s rapport with the French president was evident again in December when Camilla warmly embraced Brigitte Macron at the Entente Litteraire Prize ceremony in London, an Anglo-French literary initiative for young readers.
Due to ongoing renovations at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle will host state visits for the foreseeable future. The last French state visit to Britain occurred in March 2008 when then-President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni were guests of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The upcoming visit is seen as part of British efforts to strengthen European ties and protect its economy amid global trade uncertainties, particularly following recent U.S. tariff policies under President Donald Trump. Britain recently secured an economic agreement with the U.S. that reduced tariffs on key exports while maintaining a 10% baseline on most goods.
The royal engagement comes as the King continues cancer treatment while maintaining a busy schedule, including an upcoming trip to Canada in late May to open parliament. The Macron visit precedes a reported planned meeting between King Charles and President Trump in September.
The UK government is currently negotiating its trade and security relationship with the EU ahead of a major summit later this month, making the French state visit particularly significant for bilateral relations.