MPs and peers make awkward small talk during wait for box-office hit Macron

He began in style, with references to Montesquieu, Rousseau and Locke. You can’t imagine too many British politicians trying something like that. Photograph: Alistair Grant/PA

It wasn’t quite the Pyramid stage. When the queen, the pope, Nelson Mandela and Barack Obama were invited to address both houses of parliament, they were given Westminster Hall. On the first state visit of any European leader since Brexit, Emmanuel Macron had to make do with the Royal Gallery. The UK has been on quite the journey since Liz Truss was unable to identify the French president as friend or foe.

Still, the Royal Gallery is not a bad second-best. Indeed, if Donald Trump gets a similar invitation – in doubt, as everyone is trying to avoid that possibility by staging his visit in parliamentary recess – he might even prefer it. Enough gold paint and gilt to satisfy any simple narcissist.