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The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will be among the first members of the royal family to leave lockdown and attend a major event when they welcome French President Emmanuel Macron to the UK.
Charles, 71, and Camilla, 72, will travel from their home at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, to London, where the official greeting will take place at Clarence House next Thursday.
Clarence House said the meeting is being held to celebrate the 80th anniversary of General Charles de Gaulle’s appeal to the French population to resist the German occupation of France during the Second World War.
Their visit will be just two days after Princess Anne, 69, will become the first royal to return to working in-person with an engagement scheduled for next week to visit the Duke of Gloucester Barracks.
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will be the among the first members of the royal family to leave lockdown and attend a major event next Thursday (seen in Ireland in May 2019)
His rallying call was broadcast on the BBC in June 1940, when he said: ‘I call upon all Frenchmen who want to remain free to listen to my voice and follow me.’
Mr Macron is also reportedly visiting the capital to honour the city and the country as a whole by awarding London France’s highest decoration – Legion d’Honneur.
Charles and his wife have spent almost three months at Birkhall in Scotland, where the heir to the throne recovered from Covid-19 after he contracted the virus in March, suffering with mild symptoms.
They have been carrying out royal engagements remotely – via video calls or recording video messages of support – and are said to be ‘pleased’ to be welcoming Mr Macron to the country.
They will welcome French President Emmanuel Macron to the UK London, where the official greeting will take place at Clarence House
But the event is not expected to be the start of a return to regular public duties, although a number of low-key events are also planned for next week.
Mr Macron’s visit comes just before the July 1 deadline to extend the Brexit transition period beyond the end of this year.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has insisted he will not seek to prolong current arrangements beyond that point.
Asked if the French president would be subject to quarantine rules, a spokesman for the Prime Minister said: ‘No, he won’t.
Clarence House said the meeting is being held to celebrate the 80th anniversary of General Charles de Gaulle’s appeal to the French population to resist the German occupation of France during the Second World War (Charles and Camilla are seen on VE Day 2020)
‘As we set out in the guidelines when they were published, the French delegation will fall within the exempted category of representatives of a foreign country or territory travelling to undertake business in the UK.’
Clarence House said in a statement: ‘The President of the French Republic will visit London on Thursday 18th June 2020 to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of General de Gaulle’s ‘Appel’ to the French population to resist the German occupation of France during WWII.
‘On behalf of Her Majesty’s Government, Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall will formally receive President Emmanuel Macron at Clarence House with a Guard of Honour found by Number 7 Company Coldstream Guards accompanied by the Band of the Coldstream Guards.’
A Clarence House spokeswoman said Government guidelines on social distancing would be followed and part of the welcome would be staged in the open air (Macron is seen wearing a mask at the end of May in France)
A Clarence House spokeswoman said Government guidelines on social distancing would be followed and part of the welcome would be staged in the open air.
It is thought the prince and the president have met on a few occasions, the last time in January when the two men sat side by side at a global event in Jerusalem marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
Princess Anne, 69, could become the first royal to return to work in person, with an engagement scheduled in her diary next week to visit the Duke of Gloucester Barracks
Meanwhile Princess Anne will be the first royal to return to working in-person with an engagement scheduled for next week to visit the Duke of Gloucester Barracks.
A tweet shared by Gerts Royals outlined how the Princess Royal, 69, is set to meet with COVID-19 staff at the Barracks in South Cerney, Gloucesterhire on 16 June.
If the engagement goes ahead, it will mark the first time that a member of the British royal family has had an in-person appearance since the start of the pandemic in March.
And the news may come as a surprise to some because the 69-year-old would be more ‘at risk’ from the coronavirus than younger members of the royal family such as the Cambridges or the Wessexes.
The Queen has been staying at Windsor Castle with the Duke of Edinburgh, where she has continued her state duties, working remotely and holding audiences and meetings via telephone.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have also been carrying out virtual visits to care homes, hospitals and other organisations during the lockdown.
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