King Charles III’s upcoming visit to France, either to Versailles or to the vineyards of Bordeaux, aims to celebrate a long-standing Franco-British friendship that has been marred by a series of controversies, London and Paris said on Wednesday, AFP reported.

Relations between the two countries have suffered in recent years due to Brexit and the migration crisis, which has seen tens of thousands of migrants arrive on British shores from France.

But the state visit by King and Queen Camilla to Paris and Bordeaux, scheduled for September 20-22, symbolizes the Franco-British warm-up that has already begun with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Originally planned for March but then postponed, “the state visit will celebrate the relationship between Britain and France, highlighting our shared history, culture and values,” Chris Fitzgerald, the king’s private secretary, told reporters.

“It will also be an opportunity to look into the future and show how the UK and France work together,” he added.

A British Foreign Office official said relations had “steadily improved” since a bilateral summit in Paris in March, attended by Rishi Sunak and several of his ministers, unlike the governments of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.

In Paris, the Elysee Palace welcomed the visit as “an honor for France and illustrates the depth of the historical ties that unite our two countries.”

The French presidency emphasized “the strong ties between King Charles III and France, as well as the long-standing relationship between the two heads of state.”