Prince Charles' State Visit to France postponed

The postponement will be an embarrassment for Macron, who had hoped that the monarch's visit would be a symbolic step in the two countries' efforts to turn a page after years of poor relations post-Brexit.

Charles had been due to travel to France on Sunday for three days before moving on to Germany, an itinerary that had been seen as a win for the French leader who has tried to position himself as Europe's de facto leader.

The king's visit had been due to include a lavish banquet at the Palace of Versailles and the postponement will put further pressure on Macron to find a way out of a crisis over his plans to raise the retirement age, which has seen some of France's worst unrest since the Yellow Vest rebellion of 2018 -- 2019.

ALSO READ: Violence hits France in the day of anger over Macron's pension bill.

The King and Queen Consort's State Visit to France has been postponed. A spokeswoman for Buckingham Palace said that their Majesties look forward to the opportunity to visit France as soon as possible.

A source in British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's office said Macron had asked for the visit to be canceled.

The Elysee said it was a joint decision taken by the British and French governments after trade unions called for a further day of nationwide strikes and demonstrations during the king's visit.

The visit will be rescheduled as soon as possible, the Elysee said.

A Buckingham Palace source said that Charles' visit to Germany will go ahead as planned.

ALSO READ: Nationwide protests in France against Macron's pension bill.

Black-clad anarchists fought street fights with police for several hours in the French capital on Thursday, ransacking a McDonald's restaurant, slamming bus shelters and setting up mounds of garbage that have piled up during the strikes.

In Bordeaux, at the heart of one of France's best-known wine growing areas and where Charles had also been expected to visit, protesters set alight the entrance to the city hall.

The king is right not to come 23-year old Dorian Ginggen said in Paris. France is dangerous right now, with the protests. And at the same time, he must understand that the French must be heard by their government Weeks of protests over plans to raise the retirement age by two years to 64 escalated and became more violent after Macron pushed the pensions legislation through parliament last week without a vote. His government doesn't have a clear majority.

The president said the changes to pensions are necessary to keep the system funded.

READ MORE: Macron stands firm on the pension bill as protests escalate.

The hard-left leader Jean - Luc Melenchon, who earlier this week said that now was not the right time for Charles to come, welcomed the cancellation of the visit.

The left-wing opposition, and some protesters, often criticize Macron, who began his second term in office last year, as a would-be monarch.

Melenchon said that the meeting of the kings in Versailles was broken up by popular censure.