Emmanuel Macron had the honour of addressing both Houses of Parliament this afternoon, as part of his extravagant state visit to Britain.
The location for his address, however, has raised some eyebrows in diplomatic circles.
Westminster Hall, the most ancient part of the Palace of Westminster has in recent years been used as the venue for joint addresses.
Most recently, I heard Volodymyr Zelensky speak in this thousand year old great hall, and gift Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle a Ukrainian air force helmet.
The helmet still lives in a glass case in Speaker’s House, in the North Eastern corner of the Palace of Westminster.
This venue, however, is currently undergoing renovations.
So, the French President was invited to address assembled MPs and peers in the Royal Gallery, an ornate room tucked away behind the House of Lords, furnished with gold, and home to many royal portraits.
The Royal Gallery has played host to speeches from American Presidents - Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton - German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan, to mark 200 years since the British Empire abolished the slave trade.
French President Emmanuel Macron
PA
The grand chamber has also hosted a previous French President, the founder of the French Fifth Republic, Charles de Gaulle in 1960 - but with a significant alteration.
For it is not just portraits of British Kings and Queens decorating the Royal Gallery.
There are also two absolutely enormous paintings, depicting British military victories over the French.
Both Nelson’s heroic victory at Trafalgar, and Wellington’s crushing defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo face each other, dominating the length of the room from either side.
President of France Emmanuel Macron addresses MPs and peers in the Royal Gallery at the Palace of Westminster
PA
When de Gaulle visited, these paintings were covered up to spare his blushes.
Dozens of little hooks still exist today above each painting in order that tapestries can be hung to avoid reminding the French of two of their most humiliating losses at the hands of Great Britain.
Today, however, no such blushes will be spared.
Both paintings are on full display for this French President.
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte stand beside the Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle (right), before addressing MPs and peers in the Royal Gallery at the Palace of Westminster
PA
As Macron spoke in front two looming reminders of Britain usurping France as the dominant world power, is Parliament trying to send him a message?
Or could it be that diplomacy has grown up since the middle of the last century?
Well, there is one more analogous event to consider.
While these particular paintings of French defeats were covered for de Gaulle in 1960, one Winston Churchill is said to have had the last laugh five years later.
President of France Emmanuel Macron addresses MPs and peers in the Royal Gallery at the Palace of Westminster
PA
Churchill and de Gaulle had a testy relationship at times, with the British Prime Minister accusing the often difficult French President of Anglophobia.
The old story goes that Churchill was determined to get one over on de Gaulle at his funeral, which the French President would be obliged to attend.
Britain’s wartime leader made sure that his funeral procession led to, unusually, a train station.
It ran from St Paul's Cathedral to Waterloo.
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