PARIS—The French government has just emerged from a week of strong “diplomatic-protocol“ embarrassment over the media turmoil created around the information that it “forgot” to invite British Queen Elizabeth II to D-day celebrations in France on June 6. The Prince of Wales and the U.S. administration stepped in and helped secure a diplomatically successful event for the 65th anniversary of the D-Day.
A cabinet volcano woke up on May 28 when British newspaper Daily Mail mentioned that the Queen was “furious” not to have been invited to the event, during which the French and American presidents are to pay respect to thousands of World War II soldiers in the American cemetery of Colleville, in Normandy.
French government spokesperson, Luc Chatel, painfully tried to calm things down by insisting the Queen was “of course” welcome, without succeeding in erasing what could only be perceived as an insult to the British royal family. Indeed, Elizabeth II is the last head of a nation still alive while having been on duty during World War II. In 1942, then aged 16, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was chief colonel of British grenadiers. And for those people in England who paid a very heavy price for their resistance during the war, discussing whether or not the royal family would be invited is not even a question.
On Monday, June 1, White House spokesperson, Robert Gibbs, was quoted saying that the U.S. administration was “working with involved parties” to ensure the presence of the Queen. But, if British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was – and is still - scheduled to come, a spokesperson from Buckingham Palace immediately replied that “Neither the Queen nor any member of the royal family will attend the D-Day celebrations, for we haven’t received any official invitation.”
According to François Bayrou, leader of the French Democratic Movement, the third largest political party in France, the reason for Elizabeth II not being invited is crystal clear, “On June 6, Nicolas Sarkozy was willing to be alone on the picture with [Barack] Obama,” quotes French radio France Info. And for Benoit Hamon, of the French Socialist Party talking to AFP, Nicolas Sarkozy has here displayed “an undue and inelegantly light behavior.”
A press release from Clarence House, the British royal home, on Tuesday, June 2 finally indicated that Prince of Wales, Charles, the son of Elizabeth II, would attend the celebration on behalf of the royal family -- a move recognizing U.S. efforts in resolving the uncomfortable protocol predicament.
Relieved personnel of Palais de l’Elysee (Elysee Palace), the French presidential palace, commented to AFP,“We had invited Britons, but it was up to them to decide who would be representing the country,” a representative of the elected government or of the royal family.
Gordon Brown being in a tense political situation, and the protocol being that he should not speak himself at an event attended by the Queen, the representation made by Prince Charles is no doubt a clever way out to ensure the visibility of the Prime Minister. The Prince will attend, but certainly not talk. Prime Minister Brown will therefore, in the same way as Nicolas Sarkozy, enjoy a nice seat next to President Obama.
A cabinet volcano woke up on May 28 when British newspaper Daily Mail mentioned that the Queen was “furious” not to have been invited to the event, during which the French and American presidents are to pay respect to thousands of World War II soldiers in the American cemetery of Colleville, in Normandy.
French government spokesperson, Luc Chatel, painfully tried to calm things down by insisting the Queen was “of course” welcome, without succeeding in erasing what could only be perceived as an insult to the British royal family. Indeed, Elizabeth II is the last head of a nation still alive while having been on duty during World War II. In 1942, then aged 16, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was chief colonel of British grenadiers. And for those people in England who paid a very heavy price for their resistance during the war, discussing whether or not the royal family would be invited is not even a question.
On Monday, June 1, White House spokesperson, Robert Gibbs, was quoted saying that the U.S. administration was “working with involved parties” to ensure the presence of the Queen. But, if British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was – and is still - scheduled to come, a spokesperson from Buckingham Palace immediately replied that “Neither the Queen nor any member of the royal family will attend the D-Day celebrations, for we haven’t received any official invitation.”
According to François Bayrou, leader of the French Democratic Movement, the third largest political party in France, the reason for Elizabeth II not being invited is crystal clear, “On June 6, Nicolas Sarkozy was willing to be alone on the picture with [Barack] Obama,” quotes French radio France Info. And for Benoit Hamon, of the French Socialist Party talking to AFP, Nicolas Sarkozy has here displayed “an undue and inelegantly light behavior.”
A press release from Clarence House, the British royal home, on Tuesday, June 2 finally indicated that Prince of Wales, Charles, the son of Elizabeth II, would attend the celebration on behalf of the royal family -- a move recognizing U.S. efforts in resolving the uncomfortable protocol predicament.
Relieved personnel of Palais de l’Elysee (Elysee Palace), the French presidential palace, commented to AFP,“We had invited Britons, but it was up to them to decide who would be representing the country,” a representative of the elected government or of the royal family.
Gordon Brown being in a tense political situation, and the protocol being that he should not speak himself at an event attended by the Queen, the representation made by Prince Charles is no doubt a clever way out to ensure the visibility of the Prime Minister. The Prince will attend, but certainly not talk. Prime Minister Brown will therefore, in the same way as Nicolas Sarkozy, enjoy a nice seat next to President Obama.
