Update: After I wrote this incredible story, Buckingham Palace, President Macron "postponed the state visit." According to the BBC, King Charles III's state trip to France was postponed due to protests over the country's pension reforms. France's Elysee Palace stated that the decision was made due to a 10th day planned for Tuesday protests." Elysee Palace confirmed the postponement. However, they stressed that the postponement was mutually decided between Macron and King Charles. They also said that they had spoken on the telephone this morning. LMAO.

The timing of King Charles and Queen Camilla’s state visit to France couldn’t have been better. After months of planning and negotiations, Charles's first state trip as monarch was canceled by French politics and President Emmannuel Macron’s timing regarding raising the French retirement age. Paris is on fire, there are dozens more strikes, garbage cans litter the streets, and striking union workers cannot wait for the British monarch to visit them. All of this is not the only problem.

France's unrest is ruining the shine of King Charles III’s first overseas trip as monarch. Striking workers refuse to give red carpets to protesters over pension reform, and critics are calling for the cancellation of the entire visit. Anger at French President Emmanuel Macron's decision to raise the retirement age by two year is clouding what was supposed to be a display of friendship and bonhomie. Charles's visit to France is now being seen as an unneeded display of hereditary privilege.

It's bad timing. The British would normally be welcomed by the French. However, protestors are alert for signs of wealth and privilege at this time," Stephen Clarke, a Paris-based writer, said. Clarke is the author of "Elizabeth II: Queen of Laughs."

The French capital is littered with garbage, and observers believe the situation could not have been worse for Charles or his host Macron. The French labor union CGT union said this week that members of Mobilier National, which is responsible for providing flags, red carpets, furniture and other public facilities, wouldn't help to prepare a Sunday reception in Paris for the king.

CGT stated that "We ask our administrative to inform the services affected that we won't provide furnishings, red-carpets or flags." According to the Elysee Palace, which is the official residence of the French president, non-striking workers will set up all the necessary equipment for the trip.

Charles' March 26-29, 1999, trip with Queen Consort Camilla included a visit at the Musee d'Orsay and a wreath-laying ceremony at Arc de Triomphe. A lavish dinner was also served at the Versailles Palace, the former royal residence.

"They are planning to go to Versailles. It doesn't look good. Clarke stated that it does not look good. The extravagant Versailles, once the center of royal Europe's glory, is now a powerful symbol of social inequalities.

"It's amazing. We will have Emmanuel Macron, Charles III and the Republican monarch meet while street demonstrators are protesting. This is a truly amazing denial of democracy. This is an incredible denial of democracy....Something is happening in this country - is the priority really to receive Charles III at Versailles?" Sandrine Rousseau, a lawmaker from France's Green Party, told French channel BFM TV. She said that the king should cancel their visit.

[From The AP]

Many have noted that even with general strikes, the dinner at Versailles was going to set the wrong tone. The protesters will descend on Versailles if the Versailles dinner isn’t cancelled. It will create a security nightmare and be very disruptive. According to Macron's office, there are rumors that Macron may have already moved the state dinner to Elysee Palace. It's like a bunker for f-kings! This is a beautiful gift for Charles and Camilla. It will be a disaster for their first state visit.

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