French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to the UK for a state visit in July, Buckingham Palace has announced, reports BBC News.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will host the president and his wife Brigitte Macron at Windsor Castle on a visit from 8 July to 10 July.
The King and Queen had paid a state visit to France in September 2023, which was seen as a diplomatic success in helping to rebuild relations after Brexit.
Such visits are a "soft power" opportunity to strengthen trade, cultural and defence ties, in this case with an important European partner.
The state visit will be hosted in Windsor Castle while building work is carried out at Buckingham Palace.
That means relocating traditional elements like the state banquet, which in recent visits has been held in the Buckingham Palace ballroom.
President Macron's trip follows the visit by the King and Queen to France, which sought to strengthen diplomatic and defence ties.
King Charles received a standing ovation from the French Senate, after a speech in which he spoke strongly in support of Ukraine, after the "horrifying" invasion by Russia.
As well as set-piece occasions at the Arc de Triomphe and a banquet at the Palace of Versailles, the King went to see environmental projects and a food market in Bordeaux.
The forthcoming visit by Macron will be seen as a further effort to reinforce links with a European ally, against a background of uncertainty about negotiations over Ukraine and the threat of tariffs from the United States.
Overseas heads of state are invited to visit the King on the advice of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Read more of this report from BBC News.