The Red Arrows and their French equivalent, the Patrouille de France, took to the skies this afternoon to perform a spectacular flyover over London ahead of Emmanuel Macron's visit to the UK.

Red, white and blue smoke streaked above capital landmarks including Buckingham Palace, Nelson's Column and the statue of Winston Churchill - recently 'unboxed' having been protected during anti-racism protests - after a similar display in Paris, as the French President payed his respects at the Mont-Valerien, the country's most sacred memorial to those who died in WWII. 

The aerobatics squadrons flew over Buckingham Palace at 5pm as Prince Charles welcomed Mr Macron to commemorate his predecessor General de Gaulle's famous speech which was broadcast by the BBC from London on June 18, 1940.

In total, 18 aircraft are believed to have taken part in the flyover, nine Red Arrows and nine PAF, and left RAF Brize Norton at 4.40pm before swooping through Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire and Surrey before getting into west London. They then flew north into Essex, through Norfolk and Lincolnshire before landing at RAF Scampton at 5.27pm.