AL HAYAT - King Charles, Macron stress unity on first day of French president's state visit

Charles used a speech to around 160 guests and other royals at a lavish banquet in Windsor Castle to warn that both countries face a "multitude of complex threats, emanating from multiple directions".

"I really believe in the friendship between the United Kingdom and France," he told those seated at a long single table inside the castle's vast medieval St George's Hall -- they included UK prime minister Keir Starmer and music icons Elton John and Mick Jagger.

"I believe that it's essential in order to preserve our freedoms and peace in Europe," Charles added, alternating between French and English.

In his banquet remarks and hours earlier in a speech in parliament, Macron adopted a similar tone, saying that the two countries must work together to defend the post-World War II "international order".

In a wide-ranging half-hour address in English, Macron insisted the UK and France "must once again show the world that our alliance can make all the difference".

Touching on various thorny issues, from global conflicts to irregular cross-Channel migration, he vowed that European countries would "never abandon Ukraine" in its war with Russia, while demanding an unconditional ceasefire in Gaza.

He also urged London to work together with France on recognising a Palestinian state, calling it "the only path to peace".

- Windsor pomp -

The French president and his wife Brigitte landed in London in the late morning, with heir-to-the-throne Prince William and his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, greeting them on the tarmac.

They then received a warm, pomp-filled welcome from francophile Charles and Queen Camilla in Windsor, as a 41-gun salute sounded from Home Park.

The entourage enjoyed a royal carriage procession through the town, which was decked out in French Tricolore and British Union flags, before entering the castle for lunch.

The first such visit by an EU head of state since the UK's acrimonious 2020 departure from the European Union, it is also the first by a French president since Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008.

Touching on Brexit in his speech in parliament -- following in the footsteps of predecessors Charles de Gaulle and Francois Mitterrand -- Macron called it "deeply regrettable" but said that the 2016 referendum's result was respected abroad.

The French president will hold several meetings with Starmer starting on Wednesday.

After taking power in 2024, the UK leader has been making good on his pledge to reset relations with European capitals following years of Brexit-fuelled tensions.

Their discussions are expected to focus on aid to war-torn Ukraine and bolstering defence spending, as well as joint efforts to stop migrants from crossing the Channel in small boats -- a potent political issue in Britain.

Starmer is under intense pressure to curb the cross-Channel arrivals, as Eurosceptic Nigel Farage's hard-right Reform UK party uses the issue to fuel its rise.

London has for years pressed Paris to do more to halt the boats leaving from northern French beaches, welcoming footage last Friday showing French police stopping one such boat from departing.

Macron on Tuesday called it "a burden for our two countries", stressing the need for "cooperation" to "fix" it.

- Business and culture -

The visit also aims to boost trade and business ties, with Paris and London announcing on Tuesday that French energy giant EDF will have a 12.5-percent stake in new British nuclear power plant Sizewell C.

There is also a cultural dimension, with another announcement that France will loan the 11th century Bayeux Tapestry to the British Museum for 10 months from September 2026.

The loan of the embroidery depicting the 1066 Norman conquest of England will be made in exchange for ancient "treasures" mainly from the Anglo-Saxon Sutton Hoo site, one of England's most important archaeological finds.

On Wednesday, Macron will have lunch with Starmer ahead of the two leaders on Thursday co-hosting the 37th Franco-British Summit, where they are set to discuss opportunities to strengthen defence ties.

Britain and France are spearheading talks amongst a 30-nation coalition on how to support a possible ceasefire in Ukraine, including potentially deploying peacekeeping forces.

They will speak to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, according to the French presidency.

Y.Alyami--al-Hayat