It is quite the sight at the Arc de Triomphe - a landmark known for its bustling traffic is pretty much empty.

King Charles and Queen Camilla have spent a fair bit of time meeting people in the two stands - many of them waving Union Jack flags.

President Macron walked a few paces behind the royal couple as he also shook hands with those in the stands.

Finally, President Macron walked the King and Queen back towards their waiting car - they are now being escorted down the Champs-Élysées by police, and behind a troop of soldiers on horseback, who process down towards the Élysée Palace.

Image source, EPA

If you're just joining us or need a recap, here's what's been happening:

• A little over an hour ago, King Charles and Camilla arrived in Paris as they began their three-day state visit to France
• They went straight from the airport to the Arc de Triomphe where they met president Macron and his wife
• The King then re-lit the eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc before a minute's silence
• The Red Arrows and their French counterparts then flew over Paris
• Next, he and French President Emmanuel Macron will hold talks at the Elysée Palace, with a state banquet to follow later at the Palace of Versailles

Stay with us and we'll keep bringing you live updates.

Sean Coughlan
Reporting from Paris

Image source, EPA

The jet flypast thunders over the Arc de Triomphe, leaving a trail of blue, white in the sky.

The King and President Macron have inspected the assembled military parade and signed their names to commemorate the event.

The last time he was here, before becoming King, he wasn’t signing as Charles R.

In the background there’s music that seems to be a Franco-British drums and bagpipes mash-up, mixing it up with Amazing Grace.

Image source, Reuters

Another rendition of God Save the King echoes out around the Arc de Triomphe, this time from a French choir who also belt out La Marseillaise.

King Charles and President Macron stand side-by-side listening to them both as the the Red Arrows and their French equivalent, the Patrouille de France, fly over central Paris, with the blue, white and red smoke disappearing down the Champs-Élysées towards the Louvre Museum.

The formal parts of the ceremony are finished and as bagpipes start up in the background, King Charles and Queen Camilla start to meet dignitaries gathered around the Arc de Triomphe.

Image source, Reuters

After listening to the two anthems by the French Republican Guard Band, King Charles and President Macron walk to inspect the lines of troops.

The King is no stranger to these military parades as he walks round the outskirts of the Arc de Triomphe listening to more fanfare from the band.

Charles and Macron exchange some words as they walk towards the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc.

A wreath is laid as the two leaders pay their respects. The King then relights the eternal flame on behalf of the United Kingdom, for France.

This is followed by the observation of a minute's silence.

Image source, Reuters

Meanwhile, dressed in a pink outfit Queen Camilla walks with French first lady Brigitte Macron.

Camilla shakes hands with former French President Francoise Hollande and others as everyone falls silent to listen to God Save The King be played out.

This is followed by a rendition of the French anthem La Marseillaise.

Image source, Reuters

As King Charles and Queen Camilla step out of the royal car, they are greeted at the iconic Arc de Triomphe to some music from a French military band.

They had been driven up along the long Champs-Élysées tightly surrounded by a police motorcade.

They are then met by the current French president Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron.

Sean Coughlan
Reporting from Paris

Soldiers are all lined up around the Arc de Triomphe, which has a huge French flag flying from it.

There’s a very big media contingent too, with cameras trained on the Paris landmark, waiting for the King’s arrival.

But what’s not here are any of the French public. The security barriers have prevented any crowds being anywhere near to see this spectacle.

It’s an oddly quiet atmosphere for such a tourist hotspot.

BBC Paris correspondent Hugh Schofield is at the Arc de Triomphe, where rehearsals have been under way all morning.

As the King approaches, he says officers are passing along the lines of soldiers checking boots are properly shined and hats aligned.

When King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive they will be greeted by President Emmanuel Macron.

This will be followed by a ceremony under the Arc de Triomphe, which is a ritual that has been key to all royal visits for the last century or so, our correspondent says.

Image source, Getty Images

King Charles was meant to travel to France back in March.

The original three-day trip would have been the King's first overseas state visit since succeeding his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, as sovereign.

But social unrest over French President Emmanuel Macron's new pension law meant the visit was postponed.

At the time, Mr Macron's use of executive power to push through his proposed legislation to raise the age of retirement without a vote caused uproar in France with people taking to the streets across the country.

The unrest meant the trip was postponed, with the King and Queen flying straight to Germany instead, where the King made history by becoming the first UK monarch to address the German Bundestag while it was in session.

Image source, EPA

The King and Queen were greeted off the plane by French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne, who then introduced the couple to more dignitaries on the ground.

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly was also standing by.

Charles and Camilla then walked along the red carpet with Borne, through the Paris Orly terminal to a car waiting to take them to their next stop - the Arc de Triomphe.

It is about a 25 minute drive so stay with us as we await the next stage of the state visit.

Image source, Reuters

They have arrived!

King Charles and Queen Camilla step off the plane and immediately wave to those ready to meet them.

The couple walk down steps from the aircraft - despite a brisk breeze - towards the red carpet which has been rolled out for their visit.

Sean Coughlan
Reporting from Paris

In Paris for the royal visit it’s not so much liberte, egalite, fraternite so much as securite, securite, securite.

It’s a huge, roadblocking security operation all around the site of the Arc de Triomphe.

As well as the King and Queen, the Pope is visiting France later this week. Plus the Rugby World Cup is taking place.

There are about 30,000 French police and security staff on duty.

In the last few moments a plane carrying King Charles III and Queen Camilla has just touched down at the Paris-Orly Airport.

We are following pictures of the aircraft moving along the tarmac to a red carpet where we expect the King and Queen to be greeted.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images

France has rolled out the red carpet for King Charles III and Queen Camilla as the royal couple kick-off their three-day state visit.

We are expecting the King and Queen to be given a ceremonial welcome at the Arc de Triomphe, followed by a state banquet at the the historic Palace of Versailles later today.

Later in the week the King will become the first British monarch to address both houses of the French parliament as he gives a speech from France's senate chamber, to senators and national assembly members.

Other highlights include the royal couple meeting sports stars as France hosts the Rugby World Cup and a trip to Bordeaux on Friday.

Not long now until the official state visit starts.

A short time ago, French President Emmanuel Macron posted a video on social media, external showing various clips of Charles's previous visits to France.

Along with it, Macron wrote: "You visited as a Prince, you return as a King. Your Majesty, welcome."

The King and Queen have also posted a video on social media - showing Charles embarking onto a plane.

Posting in English, external and in French, external on X, formerly Twitter, they say: "We are so looking forward to joining you in Paris and Bordeaux, as we embark on our first State Visit as King and Queen to France, a country for which we both have the greatest love and admiration.

"We will celebrate the special bond between our two countries and all that your wonderful country has to offer. À bientôt France!", they add.

Sean Coughlan
Reporting from Paris

Image source, Getty Images

We actually quite like each other, according to an interesting new opinion poll released on Wednesday, as the state visit gets underway.

There were 72% of people in Britain and 76% in France who thought that although the countries might sometimes “squabble”, in the end the countries were “natural friends and close allies”.

There were big differences though in attitudes towards the monarchy, in this survey of over 2,000 people by Portland Communications. Only about a quarter of French people would prefer a constitutional monarchy and about a quarter of people in Britain would support a republic.

In another insight, the survey also found that by a big margin, people in Britain believed that King Charles would have voted to remain in the EU in the Brexit referendum.

Image source, Getty Images

Charles visited France over 30 times when he was Prince of Wales.

He has crossed the Channel to attend events ranging from the Cannes film festival to art exhibition openings and World War II memorials.

He and Camilla made their first official joint visit to France in 2016, when they attended a commemoration for the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.

Lewis Vaughan Jones
Reporting from Paris

I'm presenting our coverage of King Charles's state visit to France on BBC News, and this is our broadcast position for the next few hours.

The sun is shining here in Paris. Police have just closed the road below us, the Champs-Élysées.

We've heard a band playing, a taste of the formal ceremony to come as President Macron will welcome the King at the Arc de Triomphe.

Sean Coughlan
Reporting from Paris

Image source, Reuters

There will be plenty of ceremony and splendour in the King and Queen’s state visit, with the French host President Macron pulling out all the stops for his royal visitors.

The Arc de Triomphe and the Palace of Versailles will be backdrops to this diplomatic theatre. But there’s a serious purpose below the pageantry. It’s a strange mix of PR and politics.

It’s about visibly reinforcing the strength of a key alliance between Britain and France. And the French newspapers make the clear connection with improving a relationship that might have been strained by Brexit.

These visits and the choice of destination are decided on the advice of the government and making friends with European neighbours is the priority.

So this state visit will emphasise those key connections, in business links, cultural ties, environmental efforts and a longstanding military alliance. And all toasted with a symbolic glass of organic wine.