Following their viral moment in May, French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, had another awkward aircraft encounter on Tuesday, July 8, before their formal state visit with the British royal family.
As the Macrons deplaned at RAF Northolt, where Prince William and Kate Middleton awaited them, the 47-year-old French president reached out to help his wife descend the stairs. Brigitte, on the other hand, elected to cling to the rail until she reached the ground, appearing to reject her husband’s gesture.
Some saw the moment as a clear dismissal, while others pointed out that Brigitte, 72, may have simply been preoccupied with maintaining her balance on the flight stairs or ready to receive the Prince and Princess of Wales.
The pair smiled as they met William and Kate, both 43, with Emmanuel kissing Kate’s hand, which was uncommon but not against etiquette.
It was probably less sensational than the Macrons’ viral moment in May, when Brigitte seemed to shove Emmanuel’s face as they prepared to deboard an aircraft in Hanoi, Vietnam, at the start of a Southeast Asia tour.
Later, an official at the Élysée Palace dismissed the event, stating, “It was a moment when the president and his wife were relaxing one last time before the start of the trip by laughing,” according to Reuters.
The Macrons looked to be in excellent spirits during the rest of their first day in the United Kingdom. Brigitte even joked with Queen Camilla as she and King Charles greeted them for France’s first state visit in seventeen years.
The two power couples are photographed together on the Royal Dais at Datchet Road, near Windsor Castle, where the president and his wife will spend their vacation.
Later, the two spouses saw an exhibition of paintings from the Royal Collection with a specific connection to France in the castle’s Green Drawing Room.
The French state visit will span from July 8 to Thursday, July 10, with several ceremonial activities planned, including a royal gala.
Prior to the trip, Macron previewed the event in a post on X in both English and French.
“The U.K. is a strategic partner, ally, and friend. He stated, “Our bond is longstanding, forged by history and strengthened by trust.”
“We will work together to confront today’s main concerns, including security, defense, nuclear energy, space, innovation, artificial intelligence, migration, and culture. These are all sectors where we want to work together and extend our partnership in a tangible, practical, and long-term approach,” Macron remarked.
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