King Charles to visit France in September, six months later than planned
Charles III is expected to make his first official visit to France as king in September, six months later than originally planned. The British monarch had been due to visit in March but opted to postpone amid protests against the French government's pension reforms.
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The exact dates of the royal visit will be confirmed within the next two weeks, according to Franceinfo news radio.
No official announcement has yet been made but several French media outlets reported over the weekend they had information that Charles and Queen Consort Camilla would travel to France next month.
According to the regional newspaper Sud Ouest, the royal couple will visit the south-west city of Bordeaux as well as Paris.
The visit is expected around 20 to 22 September, the paper said, adding that King Charles's security detail had come to Bordeaux in July to prepare the visit.
March visit postponed
Charles and Camilla had originally planned to visit France on 26-28 March, on what would have been his first overseas stop since taking the throne last September.
But the trip was postponed at the request of President Emmanuel Macron because of protests over his government's pension reform, which caused widespread disruption.
The French president's office said the decision was taken "in order to be able to welcome His Majesty King Charles III in conditions which reflect our friendly relations", and that the visit would be reorganised as soon as possible.
The original schedule included stops in Paris and Bordeaux, as well as a state banquet at the palace of Versailles – the opulent residence of the last monarchs to reign in France before they were violently overthrown in the French Revolution.
Instead, Charles and Camilla ended up making Germany the destination for their first overseas visit as sovereigns.
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