Overview

• At the state banquet, King Charles toasted to a “new Entente Amicale,” linking historical ties with future Franco-British cooperation.
• The sovereign’s perfunctory kiss of Brigitte Macron’s hand at Windsor Castle highlighted a carefully staged gesture of diplomatic reciprocity.
• President Macron adopted the “Entente Amicale” slogan in his reply and on social media, reinforcing the visit’s emblematic theme.
• Macron’s unscripted hand-kiss and subsequent wink at Princess Kate defied palace protocol and became a dominant media talking point.
• Observers praised Charles’s blend of ceremony, humor and historical references as a masterclass in British soft power diplomacy.