Latest news with #MacronVisit
RNZ News
17 hours ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Masterchef UK star sacked amid misconduct allegations
United Kingdom correspondent Grace Thomas spoke to Lisa Owen about the second day of French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to the UK, as well as Greg Wallace, the face of Masterchef UK for 20 years, who has been sacked after dozens of people came about alleged misconduct Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
The Independent
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
King Charles and Queen Camilla share behind-the-scenes video of State Banquet at Windsor Castle
The Royal Family has shared behind-the-scenes footage of the final preparations carried out ahead of the State Banquet held for Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron on Tuesday (8 July). Place names can be seen for the King Charles and Queen Camilla, as well as for the French couple. The monarch can also be seen inspecting the grand display and mahogany table at St George's Hall. The French president and his wife kicked off their three-day state visit with a trip to Windsor after landing at RAF Northolt, where they were greeted by Princess Kate and Prince William. As well as the Royals and Macrons in attendance, famous faces with a spot at the table include Mick Jagger and Elton John.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Macron and wife Brigitte put on a united front
Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte put on a united front during a meeting with Sir Keir Starmer following an awkward encounter earlier in the day. The French President walked arm in arm with the First Lady as they took part in a wreath laying ceremony with the UK Prime Minister and his wife Victoria at the statue of Sir Winston Churchill. Both leaders each laid a wreath at the base of the monument in Parliament Square before a British Army bugler played The Last Post. They were heckled by a small pro-Gaza protest calling for an end to arms sales to Israel and the recognition of Palestine. Members of the public shushed the protesters following The Last Post. The band of the Welsh Guards then played the national anthems of France and Britain before Sir Keir and Mr Macron departed to lay more wreaths by a statue of Charles De Gaulle. Earlier in the day, President Macron laid another wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior alongside his wife inside Westminster Abbey. The couple were joined by the Sub-Dean of Westminster Abbey, Reverend David Stanton, who led prayers in a moment of reflection. Mr and Mrs Macron appeared to brush off any animosity following an icy interaction just moments after landing in the UK on Tuesday morning. The French President was left red-faced after arriving at RAF Northolt in west London this morning, where the couple were welcomed by the Prince and Princess of Wales. After President Macron disembarked the plane he extended a helping hand to the First Lady as she walked down the steps. But Mrs Macron appeared to ignore the gesture and instead kept holding the handrail as she walked down, leaving her husband to awkwardly drop his hand. And just seconds later, the French leader suffered another fumbling faux pas as he went to greet William and Kate, who had been patiently waiting on the runway. He first embraced Prince William with a long handshake before turning to the Princess and offering her an unconventional kiss on the hand. The gesture was made even more awkward as President Macron appeared to miss her hand entirely, instead giving her an 'air kiss' just above it. Later on, the Macrons were seen in a car waiting to leave the base - and relations appeared frosty, with Mrs Macron looking at her phone after getting it out of her bag. It comes after Mrs Macron sparked a storm in May when she was seen pushing her husband's face away with both hands before they disembarked a plane in Vietnam. Later in the afternoon, the two couples were joined by King Charles and Queen Camilla as they enjoyed a carriage procession through Windsor. The King and Mr Macron waved from the 1902 State Landau to crowds gathered on the streets, followed by Camilla and Mrs Macron in the Semi-State Landau. The French President then travelled to London to see the Grave of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey. The tomb is the resting place of an unidentified British soldier who died in the First World War and was brought back to London. He was buried on Armistice Day in 2020, two years after the war ended, and his grave contains soil from France. The tomb also serves as a poignant memorial to all the WW1 soldiers who died but were not buried in any known grave. Over the years it has become a tradition for Royal brides to place bouquets of flowers on the grave as an act of remembrance for fallen servicemen. This tradition was started by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, in 1923 and upheld by her daughter Queen Elizabeth II and the Princess of Wales. Reverend David Stanton reads a prayer as President Macron and his wife take part in the wreath laying ceremony Before his meeting with Sir Keir, Macron delivered a historic address to Westminster politicians, where he said that illegal immigration was a 'burden' on both countries. He said he would work with the PM – who he referred to as 'dear Keir' – on preventing people from crossing the Channel. But he pointed out that those trying to cross to Britain made up a third of all migrants entering the EU's Shengen free movement area and called for continent–wide moves to stop the flow. In a wide-ranging speech he also said that Brexit had been 'regrettable', though he respected Britain's decision to leave. He also reiterated his desire for a Palestinian state to be recognised, and urged Europe to loosen its ties with both China and the United States. President Macron and Sir Keir then travelled by car from the Palace of Westminster to the statue in Parliament Square, where they laid two wreaths by Churchill's statue. They also laid more wreaths by a statue of Charles De Gaulle, where they were joined by veterans of the First World War.
Telegraph
a day ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Macron's Farage snub will come back to haunt him
The first thing to understand is that Emmanuel Macron needs to make a success of his state visit to Britain even more than Keir Starmer. He's been a lame-duck president ever since he called a snap general election last year that he resoundingly lost. Macron chose his two handpicked PMs for their supposed capacity to avoid no-confidence votes in the National Assembly – and not much else. The first, Michel Barnier, a 74-year-old moderate Gaullist of Brexit negotiations fame, duly fell when hard-Right and hard-Left briefly joined forces last December. The second, François Bayrou, a prickly old-style provincial Centrist baron, also 74, has been slaloming ever since to avoid the same fate: he may still be hanging on by a nail, but he has achieved the dubious record of being the most unpopular PM of the Fifth Republic, with only 14 per cent of the French population having a favourable opinion of him. French PMs are usually chosen to shield the sitting president by putting their names to unpopular policies. (Le président takes all the credit for anything that looks good). All Macron's got left, pace the De Gaulle-designed Constitution of the Fifth Republic, is what is known as the president's domaine réservé: foreign affairs and defence. His visit to King Charles, his address to Parliament, his updating of the Lancaster House military agreements between the UK and France should all contribute to burnish his image. Add an open coach ride with the Prince and Princess of Wales, a reception at Windsor Castle in an atmosphere of glittering bonhomie – Brigitte Macron and Queen Camilla actually do like one another, and share an easygoing sense of humour – and it seemed hard for the reset of British-French relations to fail. And then Macron, supported by the same technocrats and diplomats that put France at the forefront of the EU's intransigence over Brexit negotiations, decided that while he would entertain the leaders of the main British political parties, he would absolutely not meet Nigel Farage. 'Reform has only 4 sitting MPs', we hacks were briefed by underlings. 'It's not representative.' France's excellent ambassador to the Court of St. James, Hélène Tréheux-Duchêne, is no doubt aware that Reform polls higher than any other British party; you might think keeping a connection with any opposition leader is part of her job. After all, Farage was an active MEP for years, and has occasionally evoked fond memories of his time in Strasbourg. Macron's snub of Farage is an expression of contempt for populist politicians. It's likely that the French president also means to tar Farage with the same brush as Le Pen and her deputy Jordan Bardella. Reform voters, like Le Pen's, must be ringfenced; their leaders must be kept outside any kind of political debate at the very moment when many of their arguments have become mainstream. Macron is playing French politics here. He hopes that the non-Melenchonista Left might support whatever initiatives he will dream of in the next 18 months; he wants to present himself as a bulwark against the populist Right. Those who will remember the slight against Farage are Right-wingers both in France and in Britain – and possibly the King, who, following his mother's footsteps, has always made a point of not alienating any of his subjects. Should Prime Minister Farage one day come to Buckingham Palace, King Charles will certainly receive his allegiance and put him down in his diary for every Wednesday.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
SARAH VINE: This is Labour's disturbing plan on immigration... and why Starmer's red-carpet summit with the mocking Macron is a farce
The plushest of red carpets is being rolled out for Emmanuel Macron 's visit to the UK, with the French President welcomed by the Prince and Princess of Wales before enjoying a state banquet at in the presence of the King last night. Later in the week, Macron will meet formally with the Prime Minister at a political summit aimed at tackling the small boats crisis with a new 'one in, one out' system devised to mutually benefit both sides.
