Emmanuel Macron posted a tongue-in-cheek response to a joke by King Charles after he left guests in stitches with a dig at Donald Trump during a White House dinner. The monarch's remark came after Trump had earlier claimed at the World Economic Forum in January that, without American intervention in the Second World War, Europeans would now be speaking 'German and a little bit of Japanese'.
But Charles was quick to flip the historical script in front of assembled dignitaries in Washington. 'You recently stated, Mr. President, that without the United States, European countries would speak German. Dare I say that without us, you would speak French?' the monarch quipped, provoking laughter from the audience.
The light-hearted barb did not go unnoticed in Paris. Within hours, Macron responded on social media in English, joking: 'That would be chic!' 'If ever… See you at the Francophonie Summit,' the Élysée Palace added.
Historical Context
Behind the humour, however, lies a pointed historical reference stretching back centuries. The King was believed to be alluding to Britain's decisive victory over France in the Seven Years' War - a sprawling global conflict that reshaped the balance of power in North America.
At the time, France controlled vast swathes of territory across the continent, known as 'New France', while Britain was locked in a fierce struggle for colonial dominance. The war - which also drew in Prussia and spread across Europe, India, and the Americas - was fuelled in part by what Larousse describes as the 'Franco-British confrontation over the establishment of a colonial empire in India and America'.
Ultimately, Britain emerged victorious, asserting naval supremacy and tightening its grip on key territories. Mounting losses forced King Louis XV of France to seek peace with England. The conflict formally ended with the Treaty of Paris, which dramatically redrew the map. Under the terms of the treaty, France ceded almost all of its North American holdings to Britain, retaining only the tiny islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon and limited fishing rights. Louisiana had already been transferred to Spain the previous year.
The result was a seismic shift in influence, with Britain emerging as the dominant colonial power in North America. Four decades later, in 1801, Napoleon regained control of Louisiana from Spain. Two years later, France sold the territory to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase.
Royal Protocol Breach
The cheeky response from Macron to Charles's historical joke comes just two days after Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed Charles and Queen Camilla to the White House, and it didn't take long for the President to breach royal protocol. After arriving on the White House's South Lawn for a reception with the President and First Lady, the royals walked up to the couple and exchanged pleasantries. Trump gave the King a firm handshake. The First Lady kissed the Queen on both cheeks.
Then the couples posed for some photos while exchanging remarks and smiles. But in the backdrop are fresh security concerns after a gunman broke into the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner on Saturday evening. After the pictures were snapped, the group turned to head inside the White House's main residence for tea in the Green Room and a tour of the historic beehives on the South Lawn.
After turning to head inside, Trump tapped the King on the shoulder in a sign of affection that broke royal protocol. The major, unwritten rule is to never initiate physical contact with a royal. Trump, however, did not get the memo despite his extensive royal protocol prep. He delicately touched King Charles on his right arm as he led him inside the White House doors. 'This touch on the arm as they walked in also looked like a more political gesture,' body language expert Judi James told the Daily Mail.
