Prince Charles, Macron to meet on quarantine exempt visit

London, June 13 (IANS) The UK’s Prince Charles and his wife Camilla will be the first British Royal Family members to hold a major event during the coronavirus lockdown when they welcome French President Emmanuel Macron at their London home on June 18.

They will mark the 80th anniversary of a famous speech by late French President Charles de Gaulle, the BBC reported.

Macron will be exempt from a 14-day quarantine imposed on most people who travel to the UK, as a “representative of a foreign country on business”, a Clarence House spokeswoman said on Friday, adding that government guidelines on social distancing would be followed.

The royal couple will travel from Birkhall in Aberdeenshire to Clarence House in London where they will receive Macron, with a guard of honour, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of World War Two resistance leader de Gaulle’s “Appel” to the French population.

In March, the two royals had to self-isolate after the Prince of Wales contracted coronavirus in March.

They have been carrying out royal engagements remotely – via video calls or recorded messages – and are said to be “pleased” to be welcoming Macron to the country, the spokeswoman added.

During the height of lockdown, to curb the spread of coronavirus in France, residents there had to to provide a travel permit to justify any outdoor trips.

Restrictions began to ease in the UK on May 11, and phase two of the easing began on June 2, said the BBC report.

Asked if Macron would be subject to the recently-imposed quarantine rules for UK arrivals, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday: “No, he won’t. As we set out in the guidelines when they were published, the French delegation will fall within the exempted category of representatives of a foreign country or territory travelling to undertake business in the UK.”

–IANS

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