Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh step in for cancer-stricken King Charles as they watch French soldiers guard Buckingham Palace for first time in history on 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale [Video]

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have stepped in for King Charles as they watch French soldiers guard Buckingham Palace for the first time in history to mark 120 years of friendly relations between the two countries. 

The royals are filling in for the King as he continues to step back from royal duties while undergoing treatment for cancer. 

The Entente Cordiale accord was signed in 1904 and cemented an improvement in relations after the Napoleonic Wars. It is seen as the foundation of the two NATO members’ alliance. 

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh walked past 32 members of the 1st and 2nd Infantry regiments of the Garde Republicaine and then 40 guardsmen from F Company Scots Guards, lined up opposite their French counterparts.

They were joined by General Sir Patrick Sanders, UK Chief of General Staff, the French Chief of the Army Staff General Pierre Schill and France’s ambassador to the UK Helene Duchene.

The …