King Charles III went from a meeting with young athletes in a working-class, multicultural suburb of Paris to an emotional stop in front of the fire-damaged Notre Dame Cathedral on Thursday, the second day of his state visit to France.
King Charles and Queen Camilla, accompanied by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, listened to a presentation about ongoing renovation work at Notre Dame, one day after the king said he had been “utterly appalled by the scenes of such devastation following the catastrophic fire” in April 2019.
The king and queen were not able to enter the cathedral for safety reasons, but Mr Macron invited them to take a closer look at the entrance as dozens of workers on the higher floors of the monument applauded the king and took pictures. The cathedral is due to reopen at the end of next year.
During the day, King Charles made a few stops to greet the crowds waiting for him along the streets of the sites he visited, including the Paris flower market named after his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
In Saint-Denis, north of the capital, King Charles chatted with young athletes while Queen Camilla exchanged a few balls with Prithika Pavade, a 19-year-old French table tennis player. The area will serve as a major venue in next year’s Olympics.
Residents said the royal visit to Saint-Denis was a welcome boost for the town with deep pockets of poverty, a reputation for crime and a feeling among many of being left by the wayside.
King Charles III visits France – in pictures
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Britain's King Charles III greets people in Bordeaux on the third day of his state visit to France. Reuters -
King Charles arrives to for a reception on the flight deck of HMS Iron Duke in Bordeaux. PA -
King Charles disembarks an aircraft with Queen Camilla as they arrive at Bordeaux-Merignac Airport. Reuters -
French President Emmanuel Macron with King Charles during their visit to the Museum of Natural History in Paris. Reuters -
King Charles and Queen Camilla view reconstruction work at Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris. Reuters -
King Charles meets firefighters at Notre-Dame, which was devastated by a blaze in April 2019. AP -
Queen Camilla plays table tennis, watched by King Charles and Brigitte Macron, as they meet local youth sports associations in Saint-Denis near Paris. Getty Images -
King Charles speaks with a member of the Paris Saint-Germain Foundation in Saint-Denis. Reuters -
The queen, Ms Macron, and the chief executive of Chanel, Leena Nair, visit the French fashion house's 19M Campus. EPA -
King Charles III delivers a speech to members of parliament at the French Senate in Paris. Reuters -
Alternating between French and English, King Charles highlighted "the long friendship between our nations and our peoples" and that "the United Kingdom will always be one of the closest and best allies" of France. AP -
French Senators and members of the National Assembly greet King Charles. EPA -
Queen Camilla and Brigitte Macron during a visit to the national library in Paris. PA -
King Charles delivers a speech as French President Emmanuel Macron listens on at a state dinner in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles. Reuters -
Mr Macron and his wife Brigitte welcome King Charles and Queen Camilla to the Palace of Versailles near Paris. Reuters -
From left, Queen Camilla, King Charles, and the Macrons at the palace. Reuters -
Among the guests at the state dinner were British actor Hugh Grant and his wife Anna Elisabet Eberstein, a TV producer. AP -
Dassault Aviation chief executive Eric Trappier was another guest. AP -
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin arrives for the state dinner at the Palace of Versailles. AP -
Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief executive of LVMH Moet Hennessy, and his wife Helene Mercier-Arnault arrive for the occasion. AP -
The French Republican Guard stand to attention at the Palace of Versailles. Getty Images -
King Charles at the palace. EPA -
Ms Macron welcomes Queen Camilla to the Palace of Versailles. Reuters -
Mr Macron greets King Charles before the dinner in the monarch's honour. Reuters -
King Charles and Ms Macron shake hands. Reuters -
The Macrons arrive for the state dinner. Reuters -
King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive. Reuters -
Queen Camilla outside the Palace of Versailles. Getty Images -
King Charles and Mr Macron share a joke. Reuters -
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was also among the guests at the Palace of Versailles. Reuters -
Leena Nair, chief executive of Chanel, and Bruno Pavlovsky, president of fashion at the company, arrive for the dinner. Reuters -
The Palace of Versailles before the guests arrived. Getty Images -
Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger and his partner Melanie Hamrick were also invited. Reuters -
Britain's King Charles III and French President Emmanuel Macron lay a wreath of remembrance at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. AFP -
King Charles and Mr Macron during the welcoming ceremony. Reuters -
King Charles and Mr Macron during a remembrance ceremony. EPA -
French air force's elite acrobatic flying team the Patrouille de France and the RAF's aerobatic team the Red Arrows perform a fly past. AFP -
King Charles and Mr Macron during a ceremonial welcome at the Arc De Triomphe. Getty Images -
French Prime Minister, Ms Elisabeth Borne, right, welcomes King Charles and Queen Camilla at Orly Airport. PA -
The king and queen arrive at Orly Airport. PA -
The Royal Standard and the French flag are flown from the window of the cockpit as the plane carrying King Charles arrives in Paris. PA -
A security officer in stands in front of the plane. PA -
A bomb squad member and a sniffer dog inspect a car prior to the arrival of the king. EPA -
Workers clean the red carpet at Orly Airport. AP
“A lot of people are poor and it has a reputation as a cut-throat place,” said Yasmina Bedar, who was born in Saint-Denis and has lived there for 50 years.
“For a king in real flesh and blood to come to Saint-Denis of course can only help our image.”
Cafe owner Sid Ould-Moussa said: “It’s excellent for the town, for us.”
The king also met Paris Saint-Germain football club president Nasser Al Khelaifi, who gave him the club’s No 3 jersey. He also explained the club’s involvement in supporting young people and communities in difficulty.
King Charles and Queen Camilla briefly visited the basilica of Saint-Denis, which houses the tombs of French kings.
King becomes first British monarch to address senate
Earlier on Thursday, the king proposed an entente to tackle climate change as he praised Britain's “indispensable” relationship with France in a speech at the senate in Paris.
The king made history on Thursday as he became the first British monarch to address the chamber on the second day of his first state visit to France.
Speaking in flawless French and occasionally in English, the monarch urged France to unite with Britain in tackling climate change.
“Just as we stand together against military aggression, so must we strive together to protect the world from our most existential challenge of all – that of global warming, climate change and the catastrophic destruction of nature,” he said.
“Jacques-Yves Cousteau said so wisely: ‘For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive; in this century he is beginning to realise that, in order to survive, he must protect it’.
“Such wisdom is even more relevant in this, the 21st century. And so, although the challenge facing our planet is both great and grave, it has been increasingly heartening to see the action that is being taken by our governments, our people and, more and more, by the private sector.
“I have long felt that our businesses can play a most vital role, working in partnership and harmony with our governments and our people, to channel trillions of dollars to the solutions that will enable a successful transition to a sustainable world.
“With President [Emmanuel] Macron, I will this afternoon be meeting business leaders from France and Britain whose collaboration, innovations and investments in clean growth and in preserving our precious biodiversity are offering essential global leadership.
“I hope very much that there might be avenues for future collaboration, for example to find a way to strengthen co-operation around sustainable development.
“For the time that is granted to me as king, I pledge to do whatever I can to strengthen the indispensable relationship between the United Kingdom and France – and, today, I invite you to join me in this endeavour.
“Together, our potential is limitless. Let us, therefore, cherish and nurture our entente cordiale. Let us renew it for future generations so that, I would like to propose, it also becomes an Entente pour la Durabilite – in order to tackle the global climate and biodiversity emergency more effectively.
“A commitment to each other, and to the values we so proudly share; a commitment inspired by the example of the past, and emboldened to grapple with the immense challenges in the world around us.”
His comments came as UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was facing a growing backlash following his government's announcement that it was rolling back its green pledges.
Mr Sunak said on Wednesday that a ban on new petrol and diesel cars would be delayed by five years, energy efficient requirements in homes would be scrapped and plans to phase out new gas boilers would be weakened.
King Charles praises UK's 'best friend' France
On Thursday, the king began his address by praising France as one of the UK's “closest allies and best friends” and paid tribute to the messages of condolence from the nation following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II last year.
“When my mother died last year, my family and I were moved beyond measure by the tributes paid throughout France,” he said.
“I can only thank you and the people of France for the great kindness that you have expressed towards us at a time of such sadness.
“I hope that she inspires us to continue to weave links between our two countries with determination, hope and love.”
Earlier, a guard of honour had lined the king’s route to the Salle des Conferences on Thursday as he met representatives from the senate and National Assembly and signed the visitors’ book before entering the chamber to deliver his address.
The British monarch's trip is aimed at demonstrating the underlying strength of cross-Channel ties after Brexit.
The tour, which was rescheduled from March because of the violent protests against pension reform in France, also aims to show King Charles's stature as a statesman just over a year after his mother died.
