French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in the United Kingdom on Tuesday for a landmark three-day state visit – the first by a European Union head of state since Britain’s departure from the bloc, and the first by a French president since Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008.
The visit, marked by regal pageantry and weighty diplomacy, represents a pivotal effort to rekindle Franco-British ties amid global unrest and domestic political pressure on both sides of the Channel.
A royal welcome
The visit began in Windsor, where President Macron and his wife, Brigitte, were received with full honours by King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
Greeted at a Royal Air Force base by the Prince and Princess of Wales, the couple were given a 41-gun salute and a ceremonial carriage procession through the town, which was festooned with Union Jacks and French Tricolores.
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Inside Windsor Castle, a formal lunch was held, setting the tone for what both nations hope will mark a renewed chapter of cooperation.
This evening, a grand state banquet will take place in St George’s Hall.
King Charles, who is known to share a warm rapport with President Macron, used the occasion to praise the enduring partnership between the United Kingdom and France.
“As friends and as allies, we face them together,” he said, while acknowledging the multitude of complex threats confronting both nations.
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Macron addresses parliament
Addressing the UK Parliament shortly afterwards – delivering much of his speech in English – President Macron called for a renewed alliance between the two countries. He invoked their historic partnership and shared values as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
"Clearly, we have to work together... to protect the international order as we fought for it after the Second World War," Macron told British lawmakers.
“As permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, deeply committed to multilateralism, the United Kingdom and France must once again show the world that our alliance can make all the difference.”
His speech spanned a broad geopolitical canvas. He called for an unconditional ceasefire in Gaza and reaffirmed Europe’s unwavering support for Ukraine in its struggle against Russian aggression.
“European countries will never abandon Ukraine,” he said.
Later in the week, Macron and Prime Minister Keir Starmer are expected to speak directly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. They will be joined by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to explore further coordinated support – including the potential for a ceasefire.
Turning briefly to Brexit, Macron described the UK’s departure from the European Union as “deeply regrettable”, though he noted that the outcome of the 2016 referendum had been respected.
His comments echoed those made by predecessors Charles de Gaulle and François Mitterrand, who also addressed the UK Parliament during earlier French state visits.
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Tackling irregular migration
Migration was another focal point of the French president’s address – a politically sensitive issue on both sides of the Channel.
With tens of thousands of irregular crossings each year, Macron acknowledged the shared challenge and expressed a firm commitment to producing "tangible results".
He added: "In this unstable world, hope for a better life elsewhere is legitimate but we cannot allow our countries’ rules for taking in people to be flouted by criminal networks.”
Denouncing the smugglers who “cynically exploit the hopes” of migrants, Macron emphasised that France and the UK bear a “shared responsibility” to tackle irregular migration “with humanity, solidarity and firmness.”
Prime Minister Starmer, who assumed office in 2024 pledging to rebuild relations with Europe, is under mounting domestic pressure to curb Channel crossings.
The issue has been seized upon by Nigel Farage’s hard-right Reform UK party, which has surged in support.
Downing Street is hopeful that discussions with Macron could yield a so-called “one in, one out” agreement, whereby the UK returns some boat arrivals to France in exchange for accepting asylum seekers in Europe with links to Britain. Whether France will agree remains uncertain.
Macron expressed cautious optimism: “Our objective, very clearly, is to have the best ever cooperation between our two countries in order to fix today what is a burden for both.”
Trade, culture and common defence
The visit also aims to deepen trade and energy ties. On Tuesday, it was announced that French energy giant EDF will acquire a 12.5 percent stake in the Sizewell C nuclear power plant, underscoring shared ambitions for energy security and net zero.
Cultural diplomacy played its part too. In a symbolic gesture of mutual heritage, the Bayeux Tapestry – depicting the Norman conquest of 1066 – will be loaned to the British Museum from September 2026, in exchange for treasured Anglo-Saxon artefacts from Sutton Hoo, one of England’s most important archaeological sites.
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On Wednesday, Macron and Starmer will meet for working discussions and a formal lunch, before co-hosting the 37th Franco-British Summit on Thursday.
Alongside defence and migration, the summit is expected to address coordinated action on Ukraine and strategies for confronting broader geopolitical challenges.
Britain and France are leading efforts within a 30-nation coalition to support a potential ceasefire in Ukraine, and may explore the deployment of peacekeeping forces.
Starmer’s office confirmed the two leaders will join a virtual meeting of the coalition on Thursday to step up support and increase pressure on Russia.
(with newswires)
