PARIS –
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined French President Emmanuel Macron at a Paris ceremony marking the 106th anniversary of the Armistice on Monday. It’s a celebration of their countries’ friendship, as nations across the world pay tribute to their fallen soldiers in the First World War.
This is the first time a British leader has done so since Winston Churchill was hosted by Gen. Charles de Gaulle in 1944, Starmer’s office said.
The Paris ceremony echoes Franco-British commemorations 80 years ago, when Allied troops liberated most of France’s territory from Nazi occupation, Macron’s office said.
This year also marks the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale, the historic agreement between France and the United Kingdom.
On Monday morning, Starmer and Macron will first meet at the Elysee presidential palace, before heading toward the Champs-Elysees avenue to lay wreaths at the nearby statues of Georges Clemenceau, French prime minister at the time of the Armistice, and Churchill.
They will then lead the traditional ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe monument where they will relight the flame of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The French Army Choir is to sing France’s national anthem, “La Marseillaise,” and the British anthem, “God Save the King.”
French President Emmanuel Macron, center right, and Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Paris on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024 ( Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP)
“I am honored to be in Paris to stand united with President Macron in tribute to the fallen of the First World War who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom we enjoy today,” Starmer said.
The prime minister also announced that the British government has earmarked more than 10 million pounds for next year’s 80th anniversary of the Allied victory in Europe and the subsequent defeat of Japan ending the Second World War.