King Charles III picks France & Germany for first state visits, says Buckingham Palace

King Charles III will travel to France and Germany for his first state visits since becoming monarch, underscoring Britain’s efforts to build bridges with its European neighbors following years of strained relations caused by Brexit.

Charles and Camilla, the queen consort, will visit the European Union’s two biggest countries March 26-31, hosted by Presidents Emanuel Macron of France and Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany, Buckingham Palace said Friday.

They plan to celebrate the nations’ shared history and values, commitment to environmental preservation and cooperation on the war in Ukraine, the palace said.

Highlighting the significance of the trip is the fact that it will be the first state visit by a British monarch since 2015 as the late Queen Elizabeth II stopped traveling abroad in her later years.

News of the trip comes just days after Charles met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at Windsor Castle and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a breakthrough in talks to resolve the dispute over post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland.