The details of King Charles’ state visit to France later this month were announced on Wednesday. His Majesty’s deputy private secretary, Chris Fitzgerald said that the occasion state will celebrate the countries’ ‘shared histories, culture and values’.
One thing France and Britain haven’t shared for many years is the same view on school uniform. We wear it, they don’t, although they might be about to change.
In an interview on Monday, Emmanuel Macron agreed that school uniform may be the best way to avoid any future controversies about what children wear to schools in France.
He was referring to the furore that erupted last week when his new Minister of Education, Gabriel Attal, declared a ban on the wearing of the abaya. This long baggy Islamic outfit became in vogue at the start of this year, but, like headscarves, kippahs and crucifixes, it has been added to the list of proscribed items in the Republic’s schools.
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