arc de triomphe? behind me are the ranks of the armed forces of - arc de triomphe? the ranks of the armed forces of the - ranks of the armed forces of the french and they have been doing their rehearsals and boots are properly signed and hats aligned and already for the arrival of the president and then the king and queen stop and it is all pretty imminent. the president will arrive on the champs—elysees and the king and queen who are driving from orly airport arriving shortly. i don't know if it's the real thing other rehearsal stop the king and queen will arrive and it will be greeted by the president and then there will be the ceremony underneath the arc de triomphe which will involve anthems and the rekindling of the flame under the two unknown soldiers and a ritual that has been absolutely key to all visits here since the first world war and even more so in the second world war. and france and britain fighting to get at those two wars and sacrificing men and women and that is commemorated over again. it is not quite the same as 50 years ago when several people w