King Charles: Has France moved on from 'guillotine' threat against monarch?
King Charles and Queen Camilla will arrive in France today as the royals undertake a three-day State Visit that was originally scheduled for March.
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King Charles and Queen Camilla will arrive in France today as the royals undertake a three-day State Visit that was originally scheduled for March.
Engagements in Paris and Bordeaux were set to be part of Charles's first overseas trip as King but had to be postponed due to riots sparked by pension reforms.
The State Visit would have marked Charles's 35th official visit to France, and Camilla's 9th.
However, President Emmanuel Macron was forced to ask the British Government to postpone after nationwide clashes led to hundreds of arrests and police officers being injured.
France's President Emmanuel Macron was forced to ask the British Government to postpone after nationwide clashes led to hundreds of arrests and police officers being injured.
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During the mass protests in France, a picture of graffiti on the streets of Paris saying "Charles III do you know the guillotine?" went viral.
A guillotine is a machine designed for carrying out executions by beheading.
Six months on from those chaotic scenes and on the eve of the King's arrival, Reuters spoke to several Parisians to gauge their mood towards the Royal Family.
Most of the comments from the locals were negative but showed a lack of interest towards the royals rather than any hatred.
Mireille Mauve, a retiree, said: "He's just the son, they are old already, we don't have a long history."
During the mass protests in France, a picture of graffiti on the streets of Paris saying "Charles III do you know the guillotine?" went viral.
The 88-year-old added regarding Camilla: "[She is] not so enchanting, she's a bit dull with her discourse.
"All this combined together doesn't create much interest."
While teenager Alexia Aubert said: "I think since Elizabeth died, the Royal family isn't as important as it was, King Charles isn't as important and symbolic as Elizabeth, so it doesn't really matter if he comes or not."
Carpenter Edouard Val de Lievre stated that he felt the Royal Family was important in England but that the monarchy was not seen in the same way internationally.
Buckingham Palace has said the visit "will celebrate the shared history, culture and values of the United Kingdom and France".
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He said: "It's a part of the folklore in England, for me it's just that.
"(Charles) represents the English population but that's all, nothing special for me."
Buckingham Palace has said the visit "will celebrate the shared history, culture and values of the United Kingdom and France".
Regardless of whether there is or is not a huge amount of anticipation for King Charles and Queen Camilla's arrival among locals, the State Visit will play an important role in strengthening ties between France and Britain when the relationship between the two nations needs to be smoother.