"Royal Friendship: UK and France Unite in Historic Joint Parades and Guard Swaps"
British and French troops participated in a ceremonial swapping of the guards in Paris and London to commemorate 120 years since the signing of the Entente Cordiale. This marked the first time a non-Commonwealth country, France, took part in the ceremony at Buckingham Palace, and the UK became the first foreign state to guard the French presidential residence. The Entente Cordiale aimed to improve diplomatic relations and settle colonial disputes between the two countries, ultimately leading to diplomatic cooperation against Germany before World War One. French president Emmanuel Macron and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh attended the ceremonies in Paris and London, respectively.