Charles postpones his visit to France due to violent protests

Kirsten Robertson

Published March 24, 2023 10:41am Updated March 24, 2023 1:42pm

Unrest across France has led to the royal visit being postponed (Picture: ABACA/PA Images)

King Charles has postponed his state visit to France in the face of dramatic protests.

The news comes after unions announced plans to continue disruption during the monarch’s visit.

President Emmanuel Macron was due to host the King and Camilla the Queen Consort from March 26 to March 29.

But unrest throughout France, which has seen buildings set on fire, has led to the royal visit being postponed.

Protesters run amid the tear gas during a demonstration in Lyon, central France, Thursday, March 23, 2023. French unions are holding their first mass demonstrations Thursday since President Emmanuel Macron enflamed public anger by forcing a higher retirement age through parliament without a vote. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani) — Protesters run amid the tear gas during a demonstration in Lyon, central France (Picture: AP)

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - NOVEMBER 01: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales meets President of France Emmanuel Macron ahead of their bilateral meeting during the Cop26 summit at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) on November 1, 2021 in Glasgow, United Kingdom. 2021 sees the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference. The conference will run from 31 October for two weeks, finishing on 12 November. It was meant to take place in 2020 but was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. (Photo by Jane Barlow - Pool/Getty Images) — Emmanuel Macron was due to host the King from March 26 to March 29 (Picture: Jane Barlow – Pool/Getty Images)

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: ‘The King and The Queen Consort’s State Visit to France has been postponed.

‘Their Majesties greatly look forward to the opportunity to visit France as soon as dates can be found.’

Protests in France are in response to President Macron’s controversial plan to push through a bill to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 without a vote in the French Parliament.

Backlash has led teachers, oil refinery, railway and airport workers at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to walk out.

A protester kicks a tear gas canister in front of the Opera at the end of a rally in Paris, Thursday, march 23, 2023. French unions are holding their first mass demonstrations Thursday since President Emmanuel Macron enflamed public anger by forcing a higher retirement age through parliament without a vote. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard) — A protester kicks a tear gas canister in front of the Opera at the end of a rally in Paris (Picture: AP)

TOPSHOT - Firefighters checks rubbish after extinguishing a fire during a demonstration, a week after the government pushed a pensions reform through parliament without a vote, using the article 49.3 of the constitution, in Paris on March 23, 2023. - Some 1.089 million protesters took part in demonstrations in France on March 23, 2023, against President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform, the interior ministry said, with 119,000 marching in Paris alone. (Photo by Stefano RELLANDINI / AFP) (Photo by STEFANO RELLANDINI/AFP via Getty Images) — Firefighters checks rubbish after extinguishing a fire during a demonstration (Picture: Stefano RELLANDINI/AFP)

Mandatory Credit: Photo by UGO AMEZ/SIPA/Shutterstock (13842676o) Firemen extinguished the front door of the city hall of Bordeaux burned during a wild demonstration, a few days after the government implemented a pension reform through Parliament without a vote, using article 49.3 of the constitution. In Bordeaux, March 23, 2023. Bordeaux: Front Door of the City Hall on Fire, france - 23 Mar 2023 — Firemen extinguished the front door of the city hall of Bordeaux burned during a wild demonstration(Picture: UGO AMEZ/SIPA/Shutterstock)

More than 450 protesters were arrested in Paris and beyond on Thursday, as some 300 demonstrations drew more than a million people nationwide.

Last night, Bordeaux Town Hall was set alight amid the disruption.

The mayor of the town, Pierre Hurmic, said on Friday he had ‘difficulty understanding the interest of such acts of vandalism’.

Meanwhile in Paris, there have been occasional clashes between police and masked rioters who smashed shop windows, demolished street furniture and attacked a McDonald’s restaurant, according to Reuters.

Attractions like the Eiffel Tower and the Palace of Versailles were closed on Thursday.

There were further clashes in other French cities in the west of the country including in Nantes, Rennes and Lorient.

Polls say most French oppose Mr Macron’s Bill to increase the retirement age from 62 to 64, which he says is necessary to keep the system afloat.

In Greece, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the French embassy in Athens on Thursday to show solidarity.

Protesters chanted slogans and held placards that read ‘Macron, your democracy hangs on nine votes’ and ‘From Greece: victory for the workers of France’.

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