Trump's tariffs could overshadow the red carpet as Macron meets King Charles

Is pulling out the stops for Emmanuel Macron's state visit, during which the French president and his wife will enjoy a carriage cession to Windsor Castle, as well as a state banquet

Macron will address lawmakers in London on Tuesday and hold talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during his visit

The specter of global trade uncertainty, and President Trump's tariffs, loom over the meeting

Benjamin Cremel | Afp | Getty ImagesFrench President Emmanuel Macron is set to begin a three-day state visit of pomp, pageantry and political showmanship in the U

On Tuesday — but it's U

President Donald Trump's unpredictable global tariffs threats stateside that are ly to overshadow the red carpet

Macron and his wife Brigitte will be hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at a state banquet on Tuesday

The French president will later meet leaders and Prime Minister Keir Starmer for talks, which are expected to focus on "joint priorities" including migration, trade, defense and security, the U

Looming large is the thorny issue of Washington and how to handle Trump and his unwieldy and unpredictable tariffs regime that could affect severely impact European and global economic growth

On Monday, Trump d screenshots on social media of signed "letters" that were purportedly sent to 14 countries, including Japan, South Korea and South Africa, telling them that they faced a steep hike in trade tariffs from Aug

The original July 9 deadline for higher tariffs has been ext

White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said that further letters will be sent out in the coming days

That has put the European Union (EU), which did not receive a "letter" on Monday, on notice

Hopes are rising that a U. -EU trade deal could be inked this week although how beneficial — or disadvantageous — it will be to Brussels remains a big unknown as Macron, who leads the bloc's second-largest economy, travels to the U. "The EU is reportedly rushing to conclude a deal with the U. , possibly by the end of this week already," Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Berenberg Bank, noted Tuesday, emphasizing that "major stumbling blocks remain. ""The EU seems to have grudgingly accepted that the current 10% U

Base tariff in addition to some sectoral tariffs cannot be negotiated away

The EU still hopes to get some limited exemptions from these tariffs, for example for aircraft and aircraft parts, so that the overall rise in the average U

Tariff on imports from the EU this year will be below 10 percentage points

Is so far threatening to impose higher tariffs than that," he said

Pomp and pageantryBritain is certainly pulling out the stops for Macron's state visit, which will have all the pomp and pageantry that the country excels at

On Tuesday, the Macrons are due to travel to the U. , where they will be met by the Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate

There, they will take part in a carriage cession with King Charles III and Queen Camilla heading to Windsor Castle, before attending a glamorous state banquet on site on Tuesday evening

Hollie Adams | Afp | Getty ImagesThe king is expected to der a speech at the start of the state visit in which he says that the U

And France "face a multitude of complex threats, emanating from multiple directions

As friends and as allies, we face them together

These challenges know no borders: no fortress can tect us against them this time," according to Sky News

The Macrons are known to have a warm relationship with the British royals

Macron is also due to address lawmakers in London around 4 p

London time on Tuesday, will meet leaders in London on Wednesday and will hold talks at a France-British summit with Starmer on Thursday

This is the first state visit by an EU leader on British soil since the U

The British government said the visit "will vide a historic opportunity to showcase the breadth of the U. -France relationship. "Flags outside Windsor Castle in Windsor, west of London on July 6, 2025, ahead of a state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron, on July 8, 2025

Justin Tallis | Afp | Getty ImagesStarmer, who seems to have ingratiated himself with Trump despite their different political persuasions, might be able to give Macron some tips on how to win over their transatlantic ally, as the EU continues trade negotiations with Washington

Trump stated matter-of-factly that the U

Was the first country to strike a trade deal with Washington, and was ly to be tected from future tariffs, "because I them. " Macron has meanwhile had a trickier ride with the U

Leader, who has humiliated him more than once

In June, at the last G-7 meeting, Trump lambasted Macron as "publicity seeking.