Royalty is not elected to delve into political matters, but Charles’s visit to France suggests a friendship we urgently need
Sometimes I see the point of a king. Imagine if it had been Boris Johnson standing under the Arc de Triomphe this week, telling the French president, Emmanuel Macron, “Donnez moi un break.” Imagine Liz Truss telling Versailles “the jury’s out” on her opinion of France. There are moments in relations between nations that require the presence of heads of state – however chosen – that are not party politicians. When one is the other, as with the US’s Donald Trump or even occasionally with Macron, it can turn sour.
Britain’s recent relations with France have been a shambles. They have lurched from rows over fishing quotas to rows over Northern Ireland, Pacific submarine contracts, residents visas, asylum seekers and people smugglers. The result of Johnson’s sabotage of Theresa May’s soft Brexit was to reduce the Port of Dover to chaos, and to have Macron asking if Britain was governed by circus clowns.
Simon Jenkins is a Guardian columnist
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