The Princess of Wales will play a significant part in next week’s state visit to the UK by President Emmanuel Macron of France, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.
Catherine, 43, who spoke openly this week of the challenges she has faced as she recovers from cancer treatment and finds her ‘new normal’, will – as first revealed by the Daily Mail last week – take a starring role by greeting the French leader and his wife, Brigitte Macron, as they land in London on Tuesday along with her husband, Prince William.
The couple, who are undertaking the role on the King’s behalf, will then accompany them by car to Windsor Castle, around 15 miles away.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will be waiting for their visitors in Berkshire and formally welcome the Macrons on a Royal Dias at Datchet Road as a Royal Salute is fired in the castle’s Home Park and at the Tower of London.
The President and Mrs Macron will then join The King and Queen, and the Prince and Princess of Wales, in a carriage procession through the town to Windsor Castle.
Catherine’s glamorous presence is sure to delight the crowds that will inevitably gather to watch the spectacle.
She made clear this week that she plans to continue with a slow and measured return to public life for the rest of the year, after openly admitting how tough she has found the last year.
The future Queen was diagnosed with cancer early last year following major abdominal surgery and underwent preventative chemotherapy. She announced in January that she was now in remission.
Prince William and Kate chat with French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron at a reception for G7 leaders at The Eden Project during the summit on June 11, 2021
The Princess of Wales visits the RHS Wellbeing Garden at Colchester Hospital on Wednesday
France’s President Emmanuel Macron shakes hands with Britain’s Prince William as they arrive for the Blue Economy and Finance Forum at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on June 8, 2025
Prince William joins French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron at a welcome ceremony for the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on December 7, 2024
At a public engagement at Colchester Hospital on Wednesday the princess spoke further of the ‘rollercoaster’ experience of being a cancer patient and her surprise at how difficult she found it to return to ‘normal’ after her treatment had finished.
Tellingly, she referred to the challenges of putting on a ‘brave face’ in public when life was so tough behind the scenes.
Outlining details of the high-profile visit which the King is hosting on behalf of the British government, Buckingham Palace today revealed that on arrival in the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle, a Guard of Honour will give a Royal Salute and the regimental Band will play the French and British National Anthems.
The President, accompanied by The King, will then inspect the Guard of Honour, before rejoining The Queen and Mrs Macron together
With The Prince and Princess of Wales, the entire party will then view the military Rank and March past.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, The King and Queen will lead their guests into the castle for a private lunch in the State Dining Room, for which they will be joined by other members of the Royal Family.
Afterwards Their Majesties will invite The President and Mrs Macron to view a special exhibition of items relating to France from the Royal Collection in the Green Drawing Room.
King Charles III talks with President Emmanuel Macron during a reception for European leaders at the European Political Community meeting at Blenheim Palace on July 18, 2024
Queen Camilla, King Charles III, Emmanual Macron and his wife Brigitte at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, France, to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 6, 2024
Queen Camilla and Brigitte Macron attend the Entente Litteraire Prize ceremony at the French Ambassador’s residence in London on December 4, 2024
In the afternoon, the French President and his wife will travel to London to visit Westminster Abbey to lay a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, and take a short tour of the Abbey church.
They will also visit Parliament where President Macron will address MPs before holding meetings with the leaders of all major political parties.
The Macrons will then return to Windsor, where they are staying, to prepare for a glittering State Banquet in St George’s Hall.
The visit is being hosted at the 1,000-year-old castle because of major refurbishment work at Buckingham Palace.
The last time such a visit was held there was more than a decade ago, in 2014.
But sources said it will be no less special, and that the history and relative intimacy of Windsor makes for a stunning backdrop.
On the morning of the second day of the State Visit, The President and Mrs Macron will privately visit St George’s Chapel, Windsor, to lay flowers on the Tomb of Queen Elizabeth II.
The King will also show President Macron the Windsor Castle Gardens, including areas of work on nature restoration and biodiversity, as well as the wider Great Park.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla with French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte at the Elysee Palace in Paris during Britain’s state visit to France in September 2023
Camilla, Charles, Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte attend the State Banquet at the Palace of Versailles in Paris during Britain’s state visit to France in September 2023
Touchingly, they will also be joined by their wives to view a Charabanc carriage from the Royal Mews, which was gifted to Queen Victoria by King Louis-Philippe of France in 1844.
They will also see ‘Fabuleu de Maucour’, a horse given by President Macron to Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, on the occasion of Her late Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.
It was trained as a ceremonial saddle and cavalry sabre.
The rest of the three-day visit will then move to London for the more political side of events.
However the royal charm offensive is seen as a hugely significant element of the overall charm offence, highlighting the government’s determination to reset post-Brexit relationships with Europe.
President Macron made no secret of his admiration for Queen Elizabeth and has already built a warm relationship with both the King and the Prince of Wales, whom he met most recently in Monaco just a few weeks ago at an environmental event.
In London the President will visit Imperial College London, to view an AI and Emerging Technology Innovators Exhibition and meet academics and researchers.
Queen Elizabeth II meets French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni as they arrive at Windsor Castle on March 26, 2008 during the last French state visit to the UK
Camilla, Nicolas Sarkozy and Queen Elizabeth II at a state banquet at Windsor Castle in 2008
He and his wife will then join the Prime Minister and Lady Starmer for lunch at 10 Downing Street.
On Wednesday evening there will be a second banquet – held by the Lord Mayor and City of London Corporation – at Guildhall, where the French delegation will be joined by The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester on behalf of the king.
On Thursday, the final day of the State Visit, President Macron will join the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street for a UK-France Summit, where they will meet UK and French delegations and join the plenary session.
The President and Mrs. Macron will then depart from the United Kingdom that afternoon.
