Sunak hails Entente Cordiale anniversary as ‘symbol of enduring friendship’

The Duchess of Edinburgh speaks to a Gendarmerie Garde Republicaine from France during a Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, London (Aaron Chown/PA)

Rishi Sunak has said the 120th anniversary of the entente cordiale is a “powerful symbol of the enduring friendship” between the UK and France, in a conversation with Emmanuel Macron.

The Prime Minister hailed the exchange of troops at Buckingham Palace and the Elysee for the first time on Monday in a phone call with the French president, Number 10 said.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh earlier inspected members of the French Republican Guard at the royal residence in London, as they swapped places with Number 7 Company, the Coldstream Guards.

Rishi Sunak and Emmanuel Macron — Relations between London and Paris appear to have thawed since the years after the Brexit referendum (Kin Cheung/PA)

A Downing Street spokesman said later: “Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to France’s President Emmanuel Macron this afternoon.

“The Prime Minister hailed the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale and exchange of troops at Buckingham Palace and the Elysee today as a powerful symbol of the enduring friendship between our nations.”

The Entente Cordiale was signed between the UK and France in 1904 and ushered in improved relations between the two countries which had fought against each other during the Napoleonic Wars.

The King, accompanied by the Queen, carried out a state visit to France in September last year, their first foreign visit after the coronation.

During the event on Monday, the national anthems of both countries were played and Edward and Sophie, standing in for Charles, who is continuing his cancer treatment, stopped to talk to some of the troops on parade.

Major Jamie Drummond-Moray, Officer Commanding F Company Scots Guards, said: “It is an enormous privilege for us to host the French here in London and to play such a significant part in a ceremony that has never happened before with a non-Commonwealth country.

“It really is a monumental occasion and more so given that it is marking 120 years of the strong relationship between the UK with France.

“I think it’s a great honour for all our soldiers, and a fantastic day for everyone in France and the UK.”

Relations between London and Paris appear to have thawed during Mr Sunak’s premiership, after becoming frosty in the years after the Brexit vote, though reports recently suggested a diplomatic rift had emerged over the upcoming European Political Community (EPC) summit.

The prime minister was said to have delayed setting a date for the event, pioneered by the French president and due to be hosted by Britain this year, to avoid limiting the timeframe for a general election.

Downing Street later announced that it would take place at Blenheim Palace on July 18 and that it expects “about 50 leaders” from across the continent will attend.

Number 10 said the two leaders had on Monday “looked ahead to the upcoming UK-hosted European Political Community meeting and committed to work together to deliver a successful summit”.