King Charles forced to break royal tradition due to major disruption

King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted their first state visit at Windsor Castle instead of Buckingham Palace ever since ascending the throne in 2022.

On Tuesday, July 8, King Charles III officially welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron to Windsor Castle in a grand display of diplomacy. 

But rather than hosting the event at Buckingham Palace, as has been customary over the past decade, the 76-year-old monarch opted for Windsor Castle due to ongoing renovations at the London residence.

It marked the first State Visit of the year and the first hosted at Windsor since Queen Elizabeth welcomed Irish President Michael D. Higgins in 2014.

“The King and Queen will host the President and Mrs. Macron at Windsor Castle, due to the Buckingham Palace Reservicing Programme,” read a statement on the royal family’s official Instagram page.

This choice of venue holds deep historical weight. Windsor has hosted generations of royal milestones, dating as far back as 1855 when Queen Victoria received Emperor Napoleon III of France.

Tuesday’s event echoed that legacy with its full royal pageantry — from a formal welcome at the Royal Dais on Datchet Road to a carriage procession through the Berkshire town, where King Charles, Queen Camilla, and the Prince and Princess of Wales accompanied President and Mrs. Macron.

The ceremonial welcome took place in the castle's quadrangle, where the King and the French President inspected the Guard of Honour, followed by a lunch in the State Dining Room.

Afterward, the royals and their guests toured a special exhibition of French-related items from the Royal Collection.

It also marked Prince William and Princess Kate’s first join appearance in almost a month.