“Allies” and “friends”: the Belgian royal couple on a state visit to France

“A family reunion and a neighbours' party all at once”: Emmanuel Macron and King Philippe celebrated on Monday the friendship and cooperation between their two countries, “the driving force behind a stronger (European) Union”, on the first day of the Belgian royal couple's state visit to France.

The King and Queen Mathilde, who arrived by train in Paris, intend to use this three-day visit, which will also take them to Lille (north) and Chantilly, near Paris, to “deepen the bilateral relationship”, particularly in terms of defense and economics.

“We are more than allies, we are friends”, thanks to a historical, economic, linguistic and cultural proximity, the French President said during a state dinner in honor of his hosts at the Elysée Palace.

Quoting Hergé, Amélie Nothomb, Jacques Brel, Angèle and Stromae, he noted with humor “this French tendency to appropriate (the) great Belgian creators and artists”, being “sincerely and resolutely convinced that they are French”.

King Philippe insisted on the common European destiny of the two countries and welcomed the commitment of the French president for greater sovereignty of the EU.

“At the Sorbonne, you rightly recalled that Europe is mortal. It can die. These words sound like a call to action”, stressed the sovereign.

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron welcome King Philippe of Belgium and Queen Mathilde of Belgium upon their arrival at the Élysée presidential palace for a state dinner, in Paris, on October 14, 2024 © AFP – Ludovic MARIN

“Together, with the citizens and all the vital forces of our countries, we must breathe into Europe that extra soul that will bring out a true European spirit. This European spirit calls for us to overcome our differences without ever erasing them,” he said.

– Lunch at Matignon –

Around a hundred guests were present in the Elysée Palace ballroom, including Belgian Prime Minister Alexandre de Croo, European Council President Charles Michel, former European Commissioner Thierry Breton, LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault and presenter Stéphane Bern.

Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron welcome King Philippe of Belgium and Queen Mathilde of Belgium to the Élysée Palace during the day, October 14, 2024 © AFP – Ludovic MARIN

First Lady Brigitte Macron and Queen Mathilde had swapped their plum and raspberry-colored morning outfits for black and midnight blue dresses and ensembles.

In the morning, the two heads of state laid a wreath in the colors of the two countries and rekindled the flame in front of the tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe to the sound of the national anthems.

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“The King, the Law, Liberty!” and “Allons enfants de la Patrie!” then rang out, followed by an interview between the two couples at the Elysée.

The king, accompanied by six ministers, then “discussed with Prime Minister Michel Barnier on bilateral relations as well as European and international issues” over lunch at Matignon, Belgian diplomacy announced.

Since the failure of the Macronist camp in the legislative elections and the formation of a coalition with the right, Emmanuel Macron has lost some of his powers to the Prime Minister, particularly in economic matters, and is now focusing on his reserved domain, Foreign Affairs and Defense.

King Philippe of Belgium and Emmanuel Macron pay their respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, October 14, 2024 © POOL – Louise DELMOTTE

The last state visit to France by a Belgian sovereign dates back to 2003, when Albert II and his wife Paola, Philippe's parents, were welcomed by Jacques Chirac. Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron made a state visit to Belgium in 2018.

– “Land Champion” –

The two countries intend to deepen their relationship in particular in “the field of energy transition and defense”, specified Belgian diplomacy.

In May, France and Belgium signed an agreement for the production of small-calibre munitions and announced their desire to strengthen their strategic partnership in land armaments.

They have been linked since 2018 by a partnership called “CaMo” which initially focused on the acquisition by Belgium of French Griffon and Jaguar armoured vehicles and was extended in 2024 to Serval vehicles and Caesar cannons.

Emmanuel Macron and King Philippe of Belgium review French troops during a ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, October 14, 2024 © POOL – Louise DELMOTTE

The Belgian industrial group John Cockerill also finalized in July the acquisition of the French company Arquus, which produces elements of the Caesar cannons and the Griffon and Jaguar armored vehicles, in order to create a “European land champion”

Competitiveness, reindustrialization, decarbonization of the economy: the royal stay will also cover with conferences and company visits, notably in Lille, several major current themes of the EU, according to the Belgian royal palace.

France and Belgium share a common border of more than 600 km. Around 39,000 French people travel to Belgium every day to work and 8,000 Belgians travel the other way, according to official figures from the Belgian side.

On the economic level, Belgium is the leading foreign investor in the Hauts-de-France region, the stopover on the last day of the state visit on Wednesday.

Emmanuel Macron also stressed that Belgium welcomes “some 8,000 French people with disabilities”, sometimes permanently in its institutions, so “we are infinitely grateful to you”.

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