In the gilded grandeur of Windsor Castle, beneath the candlelit chandeliers of St George’s Hall, King Charles III will tonight deliver a stark message of unity to President Emmanuel Macron: that Britain and France must “stand together” against a tide of growing global threats.

The state banquet – the centrepiece of the French President’s three-day official visit to the United Kingdom – is not only a celebration of shared heritage and friendship, but a moment of sober reflection on the challenges now facing both nations. For King Charles it is an opportunity to reaffirm the bond between Britain and its closest continental neighbour in the face of war in Europe, climate instability, and technological upheaval.

“For centuries our citizens have admired each other, amused each other, and imitated each other,” the King will tell his guests this evening. “We are bound by ties of history and affection, of culture and courage.”

But this is no mere exercise in royal pageantry. The King’s speech, delivered in the same hall where Queen Elizabeth II hosted world leaders for decades, carries a serious tone that speaks to the times. With Buckingham Palace undergoing major renovations, Windsor provides a suitably historic setting for a moment of high diplomacy.

In the presence of President Macron and his wife Brigitte – welcomed earlier in the day by the King and Queen Camilla, as well as the Prince and Princess of Wales – the monarch will warn of dangers “emanating from multiple directions” and of a world in which no nation can afford to retreat behind its own borders.

“We face a multitude of complex threats,” the King will say. “Challenges that know no borders, from which no fortress can protect us.”

It is a clear reference to the interconnected nature of modern crises: Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, cyber warfare, the destabilising pace of artificial intelligence, and the growing climate emergency. Few monarchs in recent history have used a state banquet to speak in such forthright terms about international peril. But then few have reigned in such uncertain times.

A Post-Brexit Reset

The visit marks a significant diplomatic moment. President Macron is the first French leader to make a state visit to the UK since Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008, and the first European Union leader to do so since Britain left the bloc.

In the intervening years, relations between London and Paris have at times grown strained, with clashes over fisheries, migration, and Brexit protocol fuelling acrimony. But since the signing of the Lancaster House Declaration on defence cooperation in 2010, and more recently the 2023 UK-France Summit, a quiet reset has been taking shape. Tonight’s banquet, with its mixture of political symbolism and regal charm, represents a fresh chapter.

French officials are said to have been “deeply touched” by the decision to hold the dinner in Windsor Castle rather than postponing due to the renovations at Buckingham Palace. It is understood that the King took a personal interest in the details of the event, which will feature a menu celebrating Anglo-French cuisine, and a guest list that includes leading cultural, military and scientific figures from both countries.

Royal Diplomacy, With Purpose

Although the King holds no executive power as such, his words are crafted to support Britain’s diplomatic objectives. In this instance, Downing Street will quietly welcome the monarch’s focus on shared security concerns, particularly as France and Britain remain Europe’s only nuclear powers and the continent’s two largest military spenders.

Sources close to the Foreign Office note that the King’s reference to “technological threats” includes growing fears over hostile cyber activity, misinformation campaigns, and the proliferation of artificial intelligence in warfare. His emphasis on climate change, a longstanding personal priority, echoes his remarks at COP26 and subsequent environmental summits.

The message is clear: Britain and France, once imperial rivals, are now natural allies in a world growing less predictable by the year.

A Personal Connection

There is also a strong human thread running through the visit. The King and President Macron share a personal rapport, with the French leader having paid warm tribute to Queen Elizabeth II after her death in 2022. Tonight’s event will feature music from Claude Debussy and Edward Elgar, in a nod to the two nations’ cultural heritage, and speeches delivered in both English and French.

In his address, the King, a fluent French speaker, will touch on the deep-rooted bonds between the two nations – from shared sacrifices in wartime to artistic collaborations and cross-Channel family ties. “Our people have, time and again, stood shoulder to shoulder in defence of liberty,” he is expected to say.

It is, of course, a relationship not without friction. But the royal setting, the sincere tone, and the moment’s gravity may help ease some of those tensions. Where political leaders have found discord, monarchs have often forged continuity.

A New Entente for a New Era

As the sun sets over Windsor’s stone battlements, and the flags of France and Britain flutter side by side, the significance of this visit cannot be overstated. In a world where alliances are being tested and international norms challenged, the sight of two of Europe’s oldest nations renewing their vows of friendship offers a rare note of clarity.

Whether it results in concrete policy shifts remains to be seen. But the symbolism matters. At a time when fortress mentalities are gaining ground and global threats multiply, King Charles is reminding both sides of the Channel that history demands something better.

A shared past yes, but also, perhaps, a shared future.

Main Image: King Charles III and Emmanuel Macron at British Embassy Paris.jpg

This article originally appeared on EU Global.