President Macron’s UK State Visit: A New Chapter in the Entente Cordiale

French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to the UK (8-10 July 2025) marked a symbolic and strategic renewal of Franco-British relations. Greeted with royal pageantry at Windsor Castle by King Charles III, Macron’s visit was the first by a French president since 2008, and the first by an EU head of state since Brexit. This echoed the spirit of renewed Franco-British cooperation that lies at the heart of the Entente Cordiale Challenge. 

Macron addressed the UK Parliament, emphasising shared European values, defence of the international order, and unwavering support for Ukraine. His speech underlined the need for renewed cooperation on migration, energy, and global security.

In bilateral talks with PM Keir Starmer, both leaders pledged stronger collaboration on defence, including an expansion of the UK-France Combined Joint Expeditionary Force, as well as new measures to deter illegal Channel crossings. Cultural diplomacy also featured prominently, with France lending the Bayeux Tapestry to the UK in exchange for historic British artifacts. 

Macron also visited one of our Partner universities, Imperial College London, where he inaugurated the new joint UK-France research facility with CNRS dedicated to AI-driven engineering, sustainability, and resilience. He emphasised the need for the UK and France to collaborate to achieve critical mass in talent, labs and financing and to reduce dependence on US and Chinese AI infrastructure. 

The visits resonate closely with the mission of our association, which brings together students from leading UK and French universities to address global challenges through policy research, debate, and cross-cultural exchange. Macron’s call for a “new Entente”- what King Charles described as an “entente amicale” - mirrors our goal: fostering lasting intellectual and professional ties between future British and French leaders.