The President of France is visiting the Queen today. I’m watching the encounter as it happens. So far it’s just soldiers riding around on horses, blowing on trumpets and looking generally official. Unfortunately it’s dull as ditch-water. Might I suggest that when the Queen makes her reciprocal visit to France she emulates the actions of her ancestor King Henry VIII:
The Kings of England and France built themselves temporary palaces complete with thousands of knights, courtiers and a schedule of entertainment of almost Olympic complexity. The highlight of this was an arm-wrestling match between Henry and Francis I, which the obese Henry lost causing a minor diplomatic incident. That is the kind of Royal visit that I’d like to watch.
