In a historic departure from tradition, King Charles III has authorized French troops to guard Buckingham Palace, marking 120 years of amicable Anglo-French relations. This unprecedented decision will see the French Gendarmerie Nationale parading alongside the British Army's Household Division in a special ceremony.
While the French troops will participate in the ceremony, they will not replace their British counterparts in the actual guarding of the King, a responsibility reserved exclusively for members of the British Armed Forces and Commonwealth troops.
Squadron Chief Guillaume Dewilde, who will lead the French detachment, expressed his pride and enthusiasm for this joint endeavor. "Being invited to share this moment with our British counterparts is a testament to the strong bond between our nations. We consider ourselves siblings in many ways, and this celebration underscores the depth of our relationship," he told the Daily Mail.
The ceremonial event, scheduled for Monday, will feature a grand parade where the soldiers will be inspected by distinguished guests including the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the UK Chief of General Staff (CGS), the French Chief of the Army Staff, and the French ambassador to the UK.
The Band of the Grenadier Guards will accompany the Gendarmerie during the parade, performing both countries' national anthems along with a selection of Anglo-French musical pieces.
The decision to involve French troops in the ceremonial guarding of Buckingham Palace pays homage to the Entente Cordiale agreement signed in 1904. This historic accord resolved several contentious issues between the United Kingdom and the French Republic, symbolizing a landmark understanding and collaboration between the two nations.
