King Charles’ fancy banquet to be moved after threats of violence

With a whole coronation ceremony to plan for and a diary packed with royal duties, it’s safe to say that King Charles is a very busy man right now. However, sadly not all of those plans have been plain sailing for the monarch.

Charles and his wife, Queen Consort Camilla, were due to take a trip to France next week to attend a ceremony, a concert, and a lavish banquet to honour the king himself at the Palace of Versailles. But it’s now reported that the special banquet in Marie Antoinette’s former home is set to move elsewhere, following fears of violence.

As of yet, none of the events have been completely cancelled, however reports have stated that the boujee dinner is the one event that will definitely be impacted by the riots currently taking place across France, and can no longer take place at the decadent palace.

Charles and Camilla were set to arrive at the French palace on Monday 27 March, along with 200 special guests, for the meal hosted by the French President, Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte.

But with recent widespread rioting in France, following Macron’s unpopular decision to raise the age of retirement from 62 to 64, the engagement has been confirmed “too risky” for security forces to allow it to go ahead at the original venue and date. Protesters have been flooding the country’s streets since January of this year.

King Charles banquet at Palace of Versailles moved following French protesters

It’s said that trade unionists and protesters are planning to disrupt all events attended by King Charles, making Versailles its “number 1 target”. According to The Mirror, a source has said: “The dinner between Charles III and Emmanuel Macron may not be held at Versailles, as initially planned.”

The royal’s State Visit to Versailles would have been his first visit as monarch, yet no replacement location for the ceremony has been confirmed, though there is speculation that the Elysée Palace in central Paris is a possible contender.

MP Sandrine Rousseau said: “It’s amazing, we are going to have Emmanuel Macron, the Republican monarch, meeting Charles III while people in the street are demonstrating. Can this really be happening? This is an incredible denial of democracy.

“Something is happening in this country. Is the priority really to receive Charles III at Versailles?”

A Buckingham Palace source says the situation in France “was being monitored,” but there were no immediate plans to cancel the trip to France completely, which is due to commence this Sunday (26 March).

From 29 March, Charles and Camilla are scheduled to travel straight from France to Germany, where they will continue their State Visit.