120 Years of the Entente Cordiale
Published
French and British troops have swapped roles in the Changing of the Guards ceremonies outside the palaces of each others' Head of State, in an unprecedented move to celebrate 120 years since the signing of the Entente Cordiale.
The Entente Cordiale was a series of agreements signed by France and the United Kingdom in 1904. This was not a formal alliance between the two countries, but served as a basis for a stronger Anglo-French relationship.
Today, French and British troops swapped roles in the Changing of the Guard outside the palaces of the other country's Head of State, in celebration of the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale.
Household Troops have guarded the Sovereign and the Royal Palaces since 1660. When Queen Victoria moved into Buckingham Palace in 1837, the Queen's Guard remained at St James's Palace, with a detachment guarding Buckingham Palace, as it still does today.
The Changing of the Guard ceremony marks the moment when the soldiers currently on duty, the Old Guard, exchange places with the New Guard.
In London, the ceremony was watched by The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, while in Paris, President Macron observed the Parade.
On behalf of The King, The Duke and Duchess inspected 32 members of the 1st and 2nd Infantry regiments of the Garde Republicaine and 40 guardsmen from F Company Scots Guards, lined up opposite their French counterparts.
The event marks the first time a country from outside the Commonwealth has taken part in the Changing of the Guard on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace.
Last Autumn, The King and Queen undertook a State Visit to France - their first overseas visit following Their Majesties' Coronation in May.
Their Majesties were officially welcomed to Paris at the iconic Arc de Triomphe, where a flypast from the Red Arrows and their French Air Force counterparts symbolised the long-standing alliance between the two nations.
In a speech during the State Banquet at the Palace of Versailles, The King referred to the relevance of the Entente Cordiale today:
The connections between our people are myriad, and represent the lifeblood of our Entente Cordiale, which was inspired by my great great grandfather, King Edward VII. As we look ahead to the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale in 2024, it is incumbent upon us all to reinvigorate our friendship to ensure it is fit for the challenges of this, the 21st Century.
Watch His Majesty's speech in full here:
Related content
A speech by Her Majesty The Queen on her first visit to The Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeths’ Own), having been appointed as Colonel-in-Chief
My father described the Regiment as a “highly efficient entity, highly skilled, and full of personalities”, I have no doubt that your upcoming deployments will be...
A speech by The Duchess of Edinburgh, via video message, at the Restoration of the Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Survivors’ Rights Conference, Ukraine
We must stand shoulder to shoulder with all survivors to secure justice and holistic redress, and ensure that this crime isn’t an accepted part of conflict.
A speech by His Majesty The King at the opening of COP28, Dubai, U.A.E
Change will come by working together and making it easier to embrace decisions that will sustain our world, rather than carry on as though there are no limits – or as though...
Further information about the State Visit of the President of the Republic of Korea
The King's message to President Biden following the devastation caused by the wildfires in Hawai’i
Dear Mr. President, My wife and I were utterly horrified to hear of the catastrophic wildfires currently burning in Maui, Hawai’i. We can only begin to imagine the scale of...
The King and Diplomacy
The Countess of Wessex's speech at the Sovereign's Parade, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
As you climb each step think of the thousands of officers who have gone before you; those who fought and survived, those who fought and died in the many campaigns since...
A speech by The Duchess of Cornwall to celebrate The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition 2019
Ladies and Gentlemen, It’s a huge pleasure to welcome you to Buckingham Palace today. Queen Victoria, my husband’s great-great-great-grandmother, was the first British...
The 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings
A speech by The Countess of Wessex at a reception for Women Peacebuilders, Buckingham Palace
We must ensure that the silence that hides pain and suffering is turned into voices of hope and a reason to continue to act.
Summer Opening at Buckingham Palace
Receiving my Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award at Buckingham Palace
