A surreal scene unfolded late Wednesday afternoon at the Élysée Palace. While Emmanuel Macron was welcoming Slovak President Peter Pellegrini for an official visit, two members of the French honor guard collapsed within seconds of each other, in the immediate vicinity of the two heads of state. The first collapse was filmed by Slovak television cameras. The second occurred off-camera but also prompted a reaction from the French president.
A soldier collapses suddenly in front of Macron.
The scene takes place in the courtyard of the Élysée Palace, as Peter Pellegrini's official car arrives in front of the presidential residence. Emmanuel Macron is waiting to greet his counterpart when one of the soldiers tasked with rendering honors suddenly begins to stagger.
In the footage, the honor guard gradually loses his balance. He lowers his sword before abruptly falling backward and collapsing to the ground. His head appears to strike the ground or something behind him with great force.
Emmanuel Macron, who witnessed the fall firsthand, immediately went to the soldier, accompanied by several members of the Élysée Palace staff. The guard was quickly taken into care and then moved away from the area where the official reception was to take place.
A second guard falls a few seconds later
While the first soldier has just been evacuated and Emmanuel Macron resumes the protocol to greet Peter Pellegrini, a second incident occurs a few meters from the two presidents.
Another member of the honor guard also collapsed. This time, the fall occurred off-camera. However, the recording captures the metallic sound of a sword hitting the ground, while Emmanuel Macron reacts to this latest incident.
The two soldiers falling ill in quick succession caused surprise among those present. Staff at the Élysée Palace also attended to the second soldier, allowing the two heads of state to continue their meeting.
Two illnesses whose causes remain unknown
This Thursday morning, no official information was available regarding the precise state of health of the two honor guards. The medical circumstances of their illness have also not been specified.
The members of the Republican Guard responsible for protocol ceremonies generally have to stand and remain motionless for long periods, sometimes in strenuous conditions. However, there is no evidence to suggest that these constraints caused the two incidents.
This is not the first time a soldier has lost consciousness during an official reception at the Élysée Palace. In June 2023, a Republican Guard collapsed during the reception for Malagasy President Andry Rajoelina, when temperatures were particularly high in Paris.
A diplomatic reception that was ultimately maintained
Despite these two incidents, Peter Pellegrini's visit was able to continue. The Slovak president was in Paris for the Paris Peace Forum, with discussions on bilateral cooperation, energy issues, defense, and the war in Ukraine on the agenda.
The meeting between Emmanuel Macron and Peter Pellegrini was scheduled for 17:15 pm. The two leaders ultimately continued their discussions after the soldiers had been taken care of.
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