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Duke and Duchess of Cambridge head to Paris for two-day visit Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive in Paris for two-day visit
(35 minutes later)
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are due to arrive in Paris later, on a two-day official visit. The French president has welcomed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Paris, at the start of their two-day visit.
The royal couple will meet survivors of the Bataclan and Nice attacks. During the trip they will also meet survivors of recent terror attacks.
The trip comes after Prince William faced a media backlash for missing a Commonwealth celebration to take a skiing holiday with friends. The visit comes after Prince William faced a media backlash for missing a Commonwealth celebration to take a skiing holiday with friends.
It will be the duke's first official visit to the French capital since his mother Diana, Princess of Wales' death there, in 1997. It is the duke's first official visit to the city where his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, was killed in a crash crash in 1997.
He was 15 and his brother Prince Harry was 12 when she was killed in a car crash in the city. He was 15 and his brother Prince Harry was 12 when she died.
Prince William has faced criticism from some newspapers this week after a video emerged of him dancing and in a DJ booth during a trip with friends to Verbier.Prince William has faced criticism from some newspapers this week after a video emerged of him dancing and in a DJ booth during a trip with friends to Verbier.
It led to questions over his work ethic after he missed a Commonwealth event with the Queen to take the holiday.It led to questions over his work ethic after he missed a Commonwealth event with the Queen to take the holiday.
Before leaving London for France, the duke and duchess attended the Irish Guards' traditional St Patrick's Day parade at their barracks in west London. The couple have travelled without their children, three-year-old George and one-year-old Charlotte.
The duchess presented sprigs of shamrock to the officers, before having lunch with the soldiers and their families, where the royal couple were given pints of Guinness. They began their visit with a meeting at the Elysee Palace with French President Francois Hollande.
The couple will be travelling without their children, three-year-old George and one-year-old Charlotte. Their itinerary includes the Six Nations rugby match between France and Wales.
The itinerary for the Paris visit includes a meeting with French President Francois Hollande and the Six Nations rugby match between Wales and France.
The royal couple will also meet survivors of the terrorist attacks in Paris and Nice.The royal couple will also meet survivors of the terrorist attacks in Paris and Nice.
Eighty-six people died after a lorry ploughed into a crowd in the southern French city in July last year, while 90 people were killed by gunmen at the Bataclan music venue in Paris in November 2015.Eighty-six people died after a lorry ploughed into a crowd in the southern French city in July last year, while 90 people were killed by gunmen at the Bataclan music venue in Paris in November 2015.
On Friday evening, the royal couple will be guests of honour at a dinner hosted by the UK's ambassador to France, Edward Llewellyn.On Friday evening, the royal couple will be guests of honour at a dinner hosted by the UK's ambassador to France, Edward Llewellyn.
Mr Llewellyn said it was a "very exciting and special day".Mr Llewellyn said it was a "very exciting and special day".
"This visit also underlines the very close ties between Britain and France, countries which are allies, which are friends, but more than that, this is something we will be underlining in this visit, we have the ties of neighbours, of neighbouring countries," he added."This visit also underlines the very close ties between Britain and France, countries which are allies, which are friends, but more than that, this is something we will be underlining in this visit, we have the ties of neighbours, of neighbouring countries," he added.
Kensington Palace said the trip was at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.Kensington Palace said the trip was at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
A spokeswoman for the FCO said: "Royal visits play a very important role in the United Kingdom's bilateral diplomacy.A spokeswoman for the FCO said: "Royal visits play a very important role in the United Kingdom's bilateral diplomacy.
"Whilst every royal visit is unique, each visit is designed to support foreign policy objectives and promote closer ties across a range of areas, for example cultural, economic or political, between the UK and the host country.""Whilst every royal visit is unique, each visit is designed to support foreign policy objectives and promote closer ties across a range of areas, for example cultural, economic or political, between the UK and the host country."
The trip comes a day after the Queen gave Royal Assent to the Brexit bill, which will allow the prime minister to notify Brussels that the UK is leaving the EU.The trip comes a day after the Queen gave Royal Assent to the Brexit bill, which will allow the prime minister to notify Brussels that the UK is leaving the EU.
French political magazine Le Point said the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were "the weapon of glamour against a hard Brexit" and said the visit was an attempt "to mitigate" the effect of Brexit on Europe.French political magazine Le Point said the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were "the weapon of glamour against a hard Brexit" and said the visit was an attempt "to mitigate" the effect of Brexit on Europe.
Later this month, the Prince of Wales will embark on a nine-day visit to Europe, beginning in Romania followed by Italy and Austria. Before leaving London for France, the duke and duchess attended the Irish Guards' traditional St Patrick's Day parade at their barracks in west London.
In July, Prince William and Kate will tour Poland and Germany on official visits. The duchess presented sprigs of shamrock to the officers, before having lunch with the soldiers and their families, where the royal couple were given pints of Guinness.