The Brexit charm offensive continues as Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall travel to France.
Starting off their tour yesterday, Prince Charles expressed his hope that “France and the United Kingdom will continue to stand together in the future.”
He added on: “We are neighbours by Fate, partners by choice and friends because of the shared experience and deep affection that binds us.
“These are ties that bind – and ones that will endure, as our relationship continues to evolve.”
The day began with a visit to the Nice seafront where Prince Charles laid a bouquet of flowers picked from his Highgrove Garden. The future king spoke of the terror attack on Bastille Day in 2016 that killed 86 and hurt 450.
He said: “Now, faced with new threats, our countries continue to stand in solidarity. Earlier this afternoon, we were deeply moved to meet some of those whose lives were torn apart so cruelly by that barbaric attack on the Promenade des Anglais in July 2016, as well as members of the emergency services whose professionalism made such a difference on that dreadful night.
“There are no words that can bring back those whose lives were taken, or heal the wounds of those who have lost so much.
“It was, however, important for us to be able to convey just how much the people of the United Kingdom mind about what happened in Nice that night – just as we all did about the attacks in Paris in 2015, and as the people of France did – and expressed so movingly – after last year’s attacks in London and Manchester.”
Prince Charles gave his speech in English, interjecting fluent French sections.
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Saying: “My wife and I could not be more delighted to join you this evening in Nice and to be back in France, a country that we have both admired for as long as either of us can remember.
“Over the years, on the battlefields and in the cemeteries of Northern France – most recently last month at Villers-Bretonneux – it has been a special privilege to join acts of remembrance for the terrible sacrifice that our countries made, with our allies, in the First World War.
“Tomorrow – V.E. Day – in Lyon, my wife and I will join the people of that city to remember the other great conflict of the last century when, together, we held firm against tyranny and oppression.”
