Keen gardener King Charles visits Parisian flower market named after his beloved mother – before speaking to firefighting heroes who battled to save Notre-Dame cathedral from flames
- The King is currently on his second day of his first state visit to France as King
The King and Queen took a colourful trip down memory lane on a pit stop to a Parisian flower market named after the late Queen.
Just as pouring rain which had drenched the streets either side of the Seine, Charles and Camilla downed their umbrellas to warmly greet two stall holders who met Her Majesty during her last state visit to France in 2014.
Lionel Vivani, who has operated his stall for 25 years, told the King how he had showed his mother around the market, which was renamed after Elizabeth II following her visit.
Following his introduction to the royals, Mr Vivani said: ‘It was an honour to meet your King.
‘I have fond memories of meeting the Queen nearly 10 years ago and I’m glad I am still here for this visit.’
French President Emmanuel Macron and King Charles laugh during their visit to the Museum of Natural History
Keen gardener King Charles paid a visit to a Parisian flower market this afternoon, named after his beloved mother
After being greeted by President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigette, they spoke to firefighters who helped tackle the blaze
The King, who is a keen gardener, appeared cheerful as he walked through the Marche aux Fleurs Reine Elizabeth II
King Charles and Queen Camilla met firefighters during their visit on the Notre-Dame Cathedral rebuilding site in Paris
The royal couple, stood next to Macron, appeared interested in their talk with the firefighter
King Charles and Queen Camilla braved the rain as they both strolled outside with their umbrellas
King Charles was offered a Paris Saint Germain’s jersey during his visit today
Brigitte Macron, Queen Camilla, King Charles and President Macron visit Notre Dame Cathedral
King Charles waves to people as he walks in a street after a visit at the Paris Flower Market
President Macron and King Charles appear to share a joke as they laugh together today
Queen Camilla wore white today while Brigitte Macron wore red
President Macron and King Charles laugh during their visit to the Museum of Natural History
Hugot Michel, who has run his family owned stall in for more than two decades, gifted the King a laminated picture of the late queen he took during her visit to his shop.
On the reverse, Mr Michel penned a note to the King, thanking him for his visit and wishing him ‘health and happiness’.
He said: ‘It is a historic day and I was honoured to meet the King.’
Her Majesty first visited the Marché aux Fleurs in May 1948 as Princess Elizabeth and again for a second time during her last State Visit to France in June 2014.
The market was renamed ‘The flower market of Queen Elizabeth II’ in honour of her visit.
Accompanying the King and Queen on their excursion on their way to the iconic Notre Dame cathedral, the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, guided the couple to a dais to sign the official welcome book known as the ‘Parchment Ceremony.’
It was the first time the ceremony has taken place outside of the Hotel de Ville, the mayor’s office.
Following the signing Charles and Camilla took part in a chaotic walkabout, where around 200 Parisians had gathered to welcome the royal couple.
King Charles shakes hand with a firefighter during his visit with Queen Camilla today
Following the signing Charles and Camilla took part in a chaotic walkabout, where around 200 Parisians had gathered to welcome the royal couple
The King greeted Parisians on the street who shook his hand and took photos of him
Just as pouring rain which had drenched the streets either side of the Seine, Charles and Camilla downed their umbrellas to greet those waiting for them
Queen Camilla held a clear umbrella sheltering herself form the rain as she spoke with local florists
Keen gardener Charles beamed as he walked through the colourful flower market this afternoon
After visiting the flower market, the King and Queen were greeted by President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigette outside the Notre Dama
Brigitte Macron and President Macron arriving at Notre Dame Cathedral
The two couples walk together in rainy weather during their visit today
President Macron and King Charles look elated in each other’s company today
The pair appear to laugh at a joke as they visit the Museum of Natural History to meet business leaders and talk about biodiversity
Queen Camilla and King Charles visiting the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral rebuilding site
The British royal couple’s three-day state visit was initially planned for March 2023 and postponed due to widespread demonstrations in France
King Charles and Queen Camilla walked along the red carpet during their visit today
King Charles visits the Jardin des Plantes’ tropical greenhouse as part of his visit to the Museum of Natural History
King Charles and President Macron visit the Jardin des Plantes’ tropical greenhouse
En route to the iconic Notre Dame cathedral, to inspect the huge renovation project underway following a devastating fire in 2019, Charles and Camilla were once again greeted by President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte.
Mr Macron bowed to the Queen and shook Charles’ hand while the First Lady, who had spent the afternoon with Camilla, shook hands.
The two couples then made their way around the corner before entering the church.
Earlier today, Charles was handed a jersey from French football team Paris Saint-Germain, bearing his name and a number three – a nod to his title King Charles III.
He was presented the Jersey by club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi.
Meanwhile Queen Camilla showed off her table tennis skills taking on the President’s wife during a visit to gymnasium in Paris.
Queen Camilla and Brigitte Macron showcased their competitive spirits today as they played a game of table tennis during a visit to the gymnasium
Queen Camilla looked elegant in a black and white patterned dress layered with a fitted and flared white coat while Brigitte opted for a red tweed long jacket and black trousers
King Charles got a fit of the giggles as he tried his hand at making Mexican good luck charms on a visit to a crafts centre today.
The King was hailed as ‘visionary’ as he visited the centre dedicated to preserving couture skills.
At 19M in the north of Paris he met six graduates of an embroidery course run jointly with Chanel and the Prince’s Foundation who had created an embroidery inspired by his garden at Highgrove.
Eliza Kate Gomersall, 23, from Hildenborough, Kent talked him through her embroidery work, which was inspired by the Stumpery at the King’s Gloucestershire residence as well as Japanese art.
Looking at her sketches, the King, himself an accomplished painter, asked: ‘Are these all done in watercolour? Absolutely brilliant.’
She said afterwards: ‘He was really enthusiastic and interested in keeping this craft alive and keeping it current.’
Elsa Searle-Vincent, 25, from Exeter, told the monarch how her work was based on a moss-covered fountain in his garden.
‘What’s fascinating about it,’ he replied, ‘Is how many species there are, and the extraordinary colours – the emeralds.’
Another graduate told the King her work was based on the sunlight on the apple trees in the kitchen garden at Highgrove.
Earlier he and the Queen were introduced to the graduates of the six-month course as they sat around a long table working on embroidery making up a giant meadow-design.
Charles addresses Senators and members of the National Assembly at the French Senate, the first time a member of the British Royal Family has spoken there, and made a strong statement on climate change
The King is currently on day two of his trip to France, where he is travelling in Paris and Bordeaux
‘Do you think it’s improved your skills?’ asked the monarch. Told it had, he asked: ‘But then having done that, what to do next? Hopefully more of this!’
The King, who was joined on the visit by foreign secretary James Cleverly, spoke of the importance of nurturing traditional skills in the UK, ‘to try and start building domestic capability.’
Walking through to the Maison Lesage tweed workshop, the Queen examined a wall full of tweed samples, at which point Brigitte Macron urged her: ‘Choose one, Your Majesty.’
The Queen replied: ‘All of them!’
Inside the workshop she was invited to have a go at weaving. As she sat down at the loom she said: ‘This could be a terrible mistake!’
The Queen looked a little nervous, prompting Macron to say: ‘Your Majesty, I am with you.’
‘You can help!’ replied Camilla.
But after the Queen had a tentative go, Macron told her: ‘Perfect! You did it.’
The Queen joked: ‘It’s obviously the next job for me.’
As the King – who had a separate tour – crossed the courtyard of the 19M building in the pouring rain, he was given rapturous applause by the 600 employees who had come out on to the balconies to watch him below.
Earlier this morning Charles made history becoming the first British monarch to address the French Senate – using his speech to declare global warming is ‘our most existential challenge’, just hours after Rishi Sunak put the brakes on net zero.
Speaking in perfect French, the King suggested France and Britain need to show the same unity as they did during the World Wars and Ukraine to the environment.
The King, who has spent decades campaigning on green issues, told the Senate: ‘The challenge facing our planet is both great and grave. These horrifying events have once more demonstrated the fragility of so much that we hold dear.
President Macron and King Charles look on during their visit earlier today
Brigitte Macron and Queen Camilla smile during a visit to Notre Dame Cathedral
It was the first time the ceremony has taken place outside of the Hotel de Ville, the mayor’s office
‘Just as we stand together against military aggression, so must we strive together to protect the world from our most existential challenge of all – that of global warming, climate change and the catastrophic destruction of nature.
‘Let us, therefore, cherish and nurture our entente cordiale. Let us renew it for future generations so that, I would like to propose, it also becomes an entente pour la durabilite (agreement for sustainability) – in order to tackle the global climate and biodiversity emergency more effectively.
‘Let us stride forward with hope and courage and do so together’.
Charles spoke out less than 12 hours after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced he was delaying a number of green policies while insisting he ‘passionately’ believes in hitting the Net Zero target.
The King is currently on day two of his trip to France, where he is travelling in Paris and Bordeaux.
The state visit has overall proved a huge success, with members of the public shouting ‘Vive le roi!’ – long live the King – on the streets of Paris yesterday.
There was one protester, however, held a ‘not my King’ sign as Charles met with President Emmanuel Macron at the Arc de Triomphe yesterday afternoon.
Last night Charles sipped on champagne with the President Emmanuel Macron and cheered the French leader on as he spoke about the two country’s ‘firm friendship’ in Versailles’ extraordinary Hall of Mirrors.
The King was joined by his wife Queen Camilla, French and British dignitaries as well as a number of high-profile celebrities, including Rolling Stones front man Sir Mick Jagger and actor Hugh Grant.
Well-known faces of English football, including former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, ex-Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and Patrick Vieira, who played for Arsenal and managed Crystal Palace, were also in attendance.
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