King Charles III on Wednesday embarked on his first state visit to France as monarch, a three-day trip aimed at showing that the fundamentals of the cross-Channel alliance remains strong despite a litany of political tensions after Brexit.The Macrons will later host the royal couple at a state banquet at Versailles, the palace west of the capital synonymous with French royalty.There are reminders throughout the visit of the late queen, a French-speaking francophile who made five state visits to France during her record-breaking 70-year reign.