LONDON: French and British troops on Monday swapped roles to take part in changing of the guard ceremonies outside the palaces of the other country’s head of state, in an unprecedented move to celebrate 120 years since the Entente Cordiale. Signed in 1904, the Entente Cordiale accord cemented an improvement in relations after the Napoleonic Wars and is seen as the foundation of the two Nato members’ alliance to this day.

Even after Brexit and with war back in Europe, “this entente cordiale is somehow the cornerstone... that allows us to maintain the bilateral relationship”, French President Emmanuel Macron said in a video address on X, formerly Twitter.

“Long live the entente cordiale and long live the Franco-British friendship,” he said, switching to English. Macron and British ambassador to France Menna Rawlings on Monday morning watched British guards taking part in the changing of the guard outside his Elysee Palace.

French guards then did the same in London outside Buckingham Palace, the official residence of King Charles III.

At the Elysee, 16 members of the Number 7 Company Coldstream Guards of the UK embassy, wearing their traditional bearskin hats, relieved French counterparts from the first infantry regiment. The French army choir then sang the two national anthems — God Save the King and La Marseillaise.

British Foreign Minister David Cameron and his French counterpart, Stephane Sejourne, celebrated their countries’ “close friendship” in a joint op-ed published late on Sunday.

They said it was key at a time when Nato is mobilised to ensure Ukraine does not lose its fight to repel the Russian invasion.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2024