The King has said the late Queen’s “golden thread will forever shine brightly” in the first ever speech by a British monarch to the French Senate.
Addressing politicians from both the upper and the lower houses of parliament, the King said the UK will always be one of France’s “best friends”.
“Ours is a partnership forged through shared experience, and one which remains utterly vital as, together, we confront the challenges of our world,” the King said in the speech, which he delivered in both English and French.
Image: King Charles arrives to deliver a speech to members of parliament at the French Senate
Image: The King’s address is the first time a member of the British Royal Family has spoken from the Senate Chamber
“Quite simply, the United Kingdom will always be one of France‘s closest allies and best friends.”
He received a minute-long standing ovation from politicians in the chamber.
Speaking less than two weeks after the anniversary of his mother’s death, the King thanked “the people of France for the great kindness you showed to us, and our people, at a time of such grief”.
“When my mother died almost exactly one year ago, my family and I were moved beyond measure by the tributes that were paid to her across France.
More on France
Related Topics:
“This morning, I read again the deeply touching words of condolence that Your Excellencies, Presidents of the National Assembly and the Senate, wrote at that time.
“You described Her late Majesty as having embodied the dignity of our own democracy and that as ‘she loved France, France loved her’. I can hardly describe how much these words meant to me, and to my entire family,” the King said.
Advertisement
“Inspired and encouraged by my grandmother’s and my late mother’s example, France has been an essential part of the fabric of my own life for as long as I can remember,” he added on his 35th official visit to the country.
“Each and every time, I have been struck by the warmth of the welcome I have always received, and by the immense good that can be accomplished when France and the United Kingdom work together.
Image: President of the French National Assembly Yael Braun-Pivet (right) and France’s Senate President Gerard Larcher (left) greet the King
The monarch pledged to do “whatever I can to strengthen the indispensable relationship between the UK and France” – stressing its importance in tackling climate change and the war in Ukraine.
“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 agreement for sustainability – in order to tackle the global climate and biodiversity emergency more effectively,” he said.
On foreign policy, he said: “Together we are unwavering in our determination that Ukraine will triumph.”
Image: France’s Senate President Gerard Larcher (right) greets King Charles
The King also referenced comments made by General Charles de Gaulle from London in 1940 after the Battle of France.
The monarch said: “Today, in confronting the greatest challenges of our time, we continue the work of those who came before us.
“When General de Gaulle spoke to the French people from London in June of 1940, he said, ‘remember this, France does not stand alone. She is not isolated… she can make common cause with the British’.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
0:59
‘Vive le roi!’: King greeted in Paris
A guard of honour lined the King’s route to the Salle des Conferences where he met representatives from the Senate and National Assembly and signed the visitors’ book.
While the King delivered his speech, the Queen and Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, launched a new Franco-British literary prize at the Bibliotheque Nationale de France.
Image: Brigitte Macron and Queen Camilla laugh during their visit to the Bibliotheque Nationale de France
This afternoon, the King and Queen will head to Saint-Denis, north of Paris, to meet community sports groups and stars as France hosts the Rugby World Cup – which the monarch touched upon in his historic speech.
He was greeted with a round of applause as he quipped “may the best win” between the French and English, Welsh and Scottish national teams competing in the tournament.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
2:02
Ceremony for royal visit to Paris
The royal couple, along with Mrs Macron, will then visit a coffee shop where they will meet beneficiaries of Objectif Emploi, an organisation in Saint-Denis that helps vulnerable young people to find careers, as well as meeting representatives from The Prince’s Trust International.
The King will later visit the Paris flower market named after Queen Elizabeth II and rejoin French president Emmanuel Macron – who he was with during a state banquet last night – in front of Notre Dame Cathedral to see the ongoing renovation work aimed at reopening the monument by the end of next year, after it was devastated by a fire in 2019.
Image: Queen Camilla, King Charles III, French President Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron attending the State Banquet at the Palace of Versailles
He will end his trip on Friday with a stop in Bordeaux, the southwestern city that is home to a large British community.
Image: King Charles and Emmanuel Macron attending a remembrance ceremony at Arc de Triomphe Paris, France yesterday
The visit has been covered extensively by French media, while pictures of the visit appeared on the front page of nearly all UK national newspapers, heralding a new “entente cordiale” between the two nations.
The trip was previously postponed due to widespread rioting across several French cities in March.
The suspended surgeon at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge has been named as paediatric consultant Kuldeep Stohr.
Eight hundred patients operated on by Ms Stohr are having their cases urgently re-examined, after an external review found nine children whose care fell below expected standards.
The initial review was ordered after concerns were raised by her colleagues.
Sky News has seen a copy of the interim report which details several issues relating to complex hip surgeries performed by the surgeon.
One of the parents whose child was identified in the review showed us a recent letter from the hospital which reported“problems with both judgement and technique” in her child’s surgery.
Ms Stohr, who has been suspended since the end of January, said in a statement: “I always strive to provide the highest standards of care to all my patients.
“I am co-operating fully with the trust investigation and it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”
Image: Tammy Harrison: ‘It was hell’
Left in agonising pain
Tammy Harrison, 12, has cerebral palsy and had surgeries carried out by Ms Stohr. Her operations didn’t work, leaving her in agonising pain.
She said: “My first one was just like trauma. I couldn’t get out of bed for eight weeks. I was either stuck in bed or stuck on the sofa. It was hell.”
Her mum, Lynn, told Sky News: “There is nothing that can put Tammy back to where she was now and that’s the sad thing.
“If I could just click my fingers and have the child back that I had I would do it with a blink of an eye.”
Image: Ms Stohr operated on Lynn Harrison’s daughter
So far, there’s been no confirmation of any wrongdoing in Tammy’s care.
But her family have a meeting at the hospital this week to find out more.
The trust has asked a panel of specialist clinicians to review all the planned operations carried out by Ms Stohr at Addenbrooke’s. One hundred emergency trauma cases will also be looked at.
Addenbrooke’s is a major regional trauma centre and treats serious emergency patients from all over the region.
One clinician at the hospital told Sky News that the review of so many patients was “creating a lot of extra work”, which was “slowing things down” for other patients awaiting treatment.
Image: Addenbrooke’s Hospital. File pic: PA
At least one extra locum consultant has been helping the team, as they work through the caseload.
Trust apologises
Sky News has been told Cambridge University Hospitals Trust had wanted to identify Ms Stohr before but had been threatened with a legal injunction.
The trust has apologised unreservedly to families and patients. But what’s troubling many is the fact concerns were raised about Ms Stohr a decade ago.
Chief executive of Cambridge University Hospitals Trust, Roland Sinker, has set up another review to examine whether opportunities were missed, and action could have been taken sooner.
The Department of Health described the ongoing situation as “incredibly concerning.”
Sir Keir Starmer promised “bold changes” as he announced he will relax rules around electric vehicles after carmakers were hit by Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Labour made a manifesto pledge to restore a 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars after it had been rolled back to 2035 by Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government.
Image: Starmer promises to ‘back British business’. Pic: Reuters
Sir Keir will officially confirm the ban in an announcement on Monday but regulations around manufacturing targets on electric cars and vans will be altered, to help firms in the transition.
Luxury supercar firms such as Aston Martin and McLaren will still be allowed to keep producing petrol cars beyond the 2030 date, because they only manufacture a small number of vehicles per year.
More on Tariffs
Related Topics:
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
2:53
‘Nothing off the table’ over tariffs
Petrol and diesel vans will also be allowed to be sold until 2035, along with hybrids and plug-in hybrid cars.
The government is also going to make it easier for manufacturers who do not comply with the government’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which sets sales targets, to avoid fines, and the levies will be reduced.
Sir Keir said: “I am determined to back British brilliance.
“Now more than ever UK businesses and working people need a government that steps up, not stands aside.
“That means action, not words.”
Officials have said support for the car industry will continue to be kept under review as the full impact of the tariffs announced last week becomes clear.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the industry deserves “clarity” in the economic context.
She said: “Our ambitious package of strengthening reforms will protect and create jobs, making the UK a global automotive leader in the switch to EVs, all the while meeting our core manifesto commitment to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030.”
Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said the government had “recognised the intense pressure manufacturers are under”, while Colin Walker, a transport analyst at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said the ZEV mandate is a “global success story” in driving a surge in sales of electric vehicles.
Tariff impact on UK businesses revealed
Some 62% of UK firms with trade exposure to the US are being negatively impacted by Donald Trump’s tariffs, according to the British Chambers of Commerce.
Its survey of more than 600 businesses also found 32% of firms with trade exposure to the US said they will increase prices in response.
The survey also found 41% of firms with no exposure to the USA said they would be negatively impacted by the tariffs.
Some 44% of firms with exposure to the US said the UK should seek to negotiate a closer trade relationship with the US, while 43% said they wanted closer trade with other markets.
Just under a quarter (21%) said they thought the UK should impose retaliatory tariffs.
The survey also found that 40% of firms considered the 10% tariffs to be better than they had expected.
It comes as KPMG warned US tariffs on UK exports could see GDP growth fall to 0.8% in 2025 and 2026.
The accountancy firm said higher tariffs on specific categories, such as cars, aluminium and steel, would more than offset the exemption on pharmaceutical exports, leaving the effective tariffs imposed on UK exports at around 12%.
Yael Selfin, chief economist at KPMG UK, said: “Given the economic impact that tariffs would cause, there is a strong incentive to seek a negotiated settlement that diminishes the need for tariffs. The UK automotive manufacturing sector is particularly exposed given the complex supply chains of some producers.”
Two people who died following a fire at a caravan site near Skegness have been named by police.
Lincolnshire Police said 48-year-old Lee Baker and his 10-year-old daughter Esme Baker, both from the Nottingham area, were killed in the blaze.
However, formal identification is still yet to take place and “could take some time”, the force said.
Emergency services were alerted to a fire at Golden Beach Holiday Park, in the village of Ingoldmells, at 3.53am on Saturday.
In a statement issued through police, a member of the Baker family said: “Lee and Esme were excited to be spending the first weekend of the holidays together.
“We are all utterly devastated at what’s happened.
“This loss is incomprehensible at the moment, and we ask for people to give us space to process this utterly heartbreaking loss.”
A GoFundMe page set up for the victims’ family described the father and daughter as “two peas in a pod” who were “both happy-go-lucky people who loved life”. It has so far raised more than £3,000.
The police force, together with Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, are continuing to investigate the cause of the blaze.
Detective Inspector Lee Nixon said: “We believe we might be close to arriving at a working hypothesis.
“We are working hard to validate the facts available to us to be able to provide answers for the family and loved ones of those who were very tragically taken by this fire.
“Yet the evident intensity of the fire has made this task incredibly challenging.”
Dan Moss, from Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, said: “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the family at this time.
“Our Fire Investigation Team is working with colleagues from Lincolnshire Police, and a full investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.
“Once investigations are complete, local fire crews and our community fire safety team will be on hand to talk to people in the area and address any fire safety concerns they may have, at what will be an upsetting time.”