Versailles Palace celebrates 400th anniversary; hosts King Charles III
France is rolling out the red carpet for King Charles III’s state visit at one of its most magnificent and emblematic monuments: The Palace of Versailles, which is celebrating its 400th anniversary
PARIS — France is rolling out the red carpet for King Charles III's state visit at one of its most magnificent and emblematic monuments: the Palace of Versailles, which celebrates its 400th anniversary.
Charles and Queen Camilla's three-day trip to Paris and Bordeaux, starting Wednesday, includes a grand dinner at Versailles in the presence of over 150 guests in the Hall of Mirrors.
It comes as the Palace of Versailles just opened to the public the gallery that retraces its history, from its creation as a modest hunting lodge in 1623 to last century's key diplomatic events — including the visits of Charles’ predecessors.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s office said Wednesday's dinner echoes the state visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1972, when she was greeted at the Palace by President Georges Pompidou. King Charles liked the idea of following in his mother’s footsteps, according to Macron's office.
Elizabeth II also visited the palace in 1958 and 10 years before, when she was not yet a Queen.
Catherine Pégard, president of the Palace of Versailles, praised the “never-ending story” of the palace that “includes visits from French children who come to Versailles with their classes, as well as visits from His Majesty the King of England or tourists who arrive from Asia and are less familiar with the history."
«And we have a story to tell each one of them,” she told the Associated Press.
Usually filled with a chaotic crowd of photo-snapping tourists from across the world, the Hall of Mirrors will be closed to visitors
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