UK

Edward and Sophie inspect UK and French troops to celebrate Entente Cordiale

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh represented the King who is continuing his cancer treatment and was not at Buckingham Palace.

The Duke of Edinburgh inspects the troops
Changing of the Guard The Duke of Edinburgh inspects the troops (Victoria Jones/PA)
By Tony Jones, PA Court Correspondent

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have celebrated Anglo-French relations at a ceremony marking the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale.

Edward and Sophie inspected UK and French troops on Buckingham Palace’s forecourt during the event highlighting ties between the two nations.

The duke and duchess, representing the King who is continuing his cancer treatment and was not at Buckingham Palace, walked past 32 members of the 1st and 2nd Infantry regiments of the Garde Republicaine and then 40 guardsmen from F Company Scots Guards, lined up opposite their French counterparts.

They were joined by General Sir Patrick Sanders, UK Chief of General Staff, the French chief of the army staff General Pierre Schill and France’s ambassador to the UK Helene Duchene.

French troops parade at Buckingham Palace
Changing of the Guard French troops parade at Buckingham Palace (Aaron Chown/PA)

The event was the first time a non-Commonwealth country has taken part in the Changing Of The Guard ceremony – although the French troops did not guard the royal residence.

Major Jamie Drummond-Moray, Officer Commanding F Company Scots Guards, said: “It is an enormous privilege for us to host the French here in London and to play such a significant part in a ceremony that has never happened before with a non-Commonwealth country.

“It really is a monumental occasion and more so given that it is marking 120 years of the strong relationship between the UK with France.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, on behalf of the King, watch the ceremony with French ambassador to the UK, Helene Duchene
Changing of the Guard The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, on behalf of the King, watch the ceremony with French ambassador to the UK, Helene Duchene (Victoria Jones/PA)
The Duchess of Edinburgh attended the ceremony
Changing of the Guard The Duchess of Edinburgh attended the ceremony (Victoria Jones/PA)

“I think it’s a great honour for all our soldiers, and a fantastic day for everyone in France and the UK.”

The Entente Cordiale was signed between the UK and France in 1904 and ushered in improved relations between the two nations which had fought against each other during the Napoleonic Wars.

The King, accompanied by the Queen, carried out a state visit to France in September last year, their first foreign visit after the coronation.

British and French soldiers stand guard at the Elysee Palace on Monday (Thibault Camus/AP)
British and French soldiers stand guard at the Elysee Palace on Monday British and French soldiers stand guard at the Elysee Palace on Monday (Thibault Camus/AP) (Thibault Camus/AP)

During the event on Monday, the national anthems of both countries were played and Edward and Sophie stopped to talk to some of the troops on parade as they inspected the military personnel.

The ceremony was mirrored in the French capital where 16 soldiers from Number 7 Company Coldstream Guards joined troops from the 1st Infantry Regiment of the Garde Republicaine to provide the Presidential Guard outside the Elysee Palace.