King Charles III will highlight the crucial bonds between the United Kingdom and France in the face of a “multitude of complex threats” as he welcomes President Emmanuel Macron for the first state visit by a European leader since Brexit.

The Government is making “slow progress” on tackling the migrant small boat Channel crossings crisis, a Cabinet minister admitted. John Healey, the Defence Secretary, said the Government had stopped 12,000 crossings this year and had also deported 30,000 people.

Emmanuel Macron launched a furious attack on Brexit during a joint press conference with Sir Keir Starmer. The French president blamed the UK's exit from the EU for the Channel crisis as the Prime Minister unveiled a new one-in, one-out migrant returns deal.

King Charles welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron to Britain on Tuesday for the first state visit by a European leader since Brexit, their warm greeting symbolising the return of closer ties between the two countries.

President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Britain, which began Tuesday, is heavy on pageantry. But both he and Prime Minister Keir Starmer hope for practical results.