King Charles and Queen Camilla.Photo: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images

King Charles III and Britain’s Camilla, Queen Consort leave after visiting Bolton Town Hall

King CharlesandQueen Camillapostponed their visit to France due to increasingly-violent riots across the country.

Thevisit was under a cloudfor several days as protests hit Paris and Bordeaux, where Charles, 74, and Camilla, 75, were scheduled to visit starting Sunday.

The news broke in Paris early Friday via a statement from French PresidentEmmanuel Macron’s office at the Elysee Palace. The BBC reported that this followeddiscussions with the U.K. government.

Buckingham Palace later issued a confirmation that King Charles and Queen Camilla would not be going to France — however, they would continue with their plan to visit Germany later in the week.

“The King and The Queen Consort’s State Visit to France has been postponed,” the palace said. “Their Majesties greatly look forward to the opportunity to visit France as soon as dates can be found.”

Charles and Camilla at Westminster Abbey.JORDAN PETTITT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

King Charles III and Britain’s Camilla, Queen Consort attend the Commonwealth Day service ceremony, at Westminster Abbey

The visit to France was due to be thefirst overseas tour of the King’s reign. It was put in doubt earlier this week when thousands of people took to the streets of Paris and elsewhere in France to protest against President Macron’s decision to push through legislation raising the French retirement age from 62 to 64 without a vote in Parliament.

Reuters reported that Tuesday marked thesixth night of unrest in the country. Macron, 45, is reportedly eager to “calm things down,” the outlet added.

Palace officials said Wednesday that theywere monitoring developments closelyand taking advice from the U.K.’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office and their French counterparts.

Paris protests.Kiran Ridley/Getty

A protester sits on top of a lamp post with a placard that reads “Macron at the service of Black Rock, Black Block at the service of the people” as demonstrators light fires at Place de la Concorde in protest to the French Government pushing their Pension Reform through France’s Parliament without a vote after enacting article 49.3 of the constitution, on March 16, 2023 in Paris, France. Labour unions had fought the government’s pension reform with months of protests in a bid to stop the age of retirement in France increasing from 62 to 64.

The royal visit to France had been much-anticipated and involved a glittering state banquet at Chateau de Versailles on the outskirts of Paris. Charles and Camilla were also scheduled to visit Bordeaux in the southwest of France, to tour an organic vineyard.

Despite the cancellation of the French visit, the royals will still visit Germany starting on March 29, palace officials confirmed to PEOPLE on Friday.

This will see the royals visit Berlin, Brandenburg and Hamburg. They will receive a ceremonial welcome from President Steinmeier and Frau Büdenbender at the Brandenburg Gate (the first time any visiting head of state has received such a welcome at the site). The couple will also be guests of honor at a State Banquet, while King Charles will address the federal legislature, the Bundestag.

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Queen Camilla on Monday.Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Camilla, Queen Consort holds a bouquet of flowers and smiles as she departs the 2023 Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey

The Queen Consort and Frau Büdenbender are set to visit the Komische Opera in Berlin to learn more about the company’s outreach projects and community engagement. While in Brandenburg, King Charles will meet representatives from a joint German/U.K. military unit and see a demonstration of their bridge-building amphibious vehicles.

It is now the couple’s only scheduled trip abroad ahead ofCharles and Camilla’s May 6 coronationin London.

The tour was planned to “celebrate the U.K.’s relationship with France and Germany, marking our shared histories, culture and values,” a palace spokesperson said when the visit was announced earlier this month.

King Charles and Queen Camilla.Chris Jackson/Getty

King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort during the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace on November 22, 2022 in London, England. This is the first state visit hosted by the UK with King Charles III as monarch, and the first state visit here by a South African leader since 2010.

“It is also a chance to look forwards and show the many ways our countries are working in partnership, whether that be to tackle climate change; respond to the conflict in Ukraine; seize trade and investment opportunities or share the best of our arts and culture,” the spokesperson continued.

source: people.com