12.11.2026 06:20
At the ceremony where French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Slovak President Peter Pellegrini at the Élysée Palace, two soldiers collapsed one after another. While Macron and palace officials intervened with the soldiers, the health conditions of the soldiers who fell ill and the cause of the incident have not yet been announced.
An unexpected incident occurred as French President Emmanuel Macron was welcoming Slovak President Peter Pellegrini at the Élysée Palace. Two soldiers on duty at the official welcoming ceremony collapsed to the ground within a short interval. While the moments when Macron rushed to help one of the soldiers were captured by cameras, the cause of the incident has not yet been determined.
THE FIRST SOLDIER COLLAPSED BEFORE MACRON'S EYES
The incident took place on Wednesday, November 11, at the Élysée Palace in France's capital, Paris. As President Emmanuel Macron was preparing to welcome Slovak President Peter Pellegrini, who had come to the country for an official visit, a soldier on duty in the ceremony area suddenly became unwell.
In footage recorded by Slovak television TV JOJ, the soldier waiting in ceremonial uniform was seen first losing his balance and then lowering the sword in his hand and collapsing backward to the ground. Macron and palace officials, noticing the incident, immediately headed toward the soldier. The soldier, lifted from where he was by officials, was removed from the ceremony area.
THE SECOND SOLDIER ALSO COLLAPSED TO THE GROUND
According to reports in the French press, the incident did not end there. After Macron welcomed Slovak President Pellegrini, a second ceremonial soldier also collapsed to the ground.
While the moment the second soldier fell remained outside the camera's field of view, the sound of his sword hitting the ground was heard. It was reflected in the images that Macron also reacted to the second incident. After the two incidents that occurred within a short interval, palace officials intervened with the soldiers.
THE SOLDIERS' HEALTH CONDITION IS UNKNOWN
After what happened, the official welcoming program continued, and Macron held his meeting with his Slovak counterpart, Pellegrini.
No official statement has yet been made regarding why the two soldiers became unwell. No information about the soldiers' health conditions has been shared with the public either.