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When Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8 2022 at the age of 96, tributes poured in from around the world. And now, almost a year after her death, an airport in France has received the royal go-ahead to change its name in honour of the British monarch.
The airport in question serves the French seaside resort of Le Touquet (full name Le Touquet-Paris-Plage), on France’s northern coast. The airport is officially called Le Touquet Côte d’Opale but it can now chnage its name to Le Touquet-Paris-Plage Elizabeth II, as King Charles III approved on August 21.
Le Touquet’s local authority said the move was ‘to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II’ and that it commemorated a visit by the Queen to the town in the 1930s with her uncle, King Edward VIII. The local government also said that the Queen ‘was always attentive to good relations between our two nations, she who spoke French and appreciated our country.’
According to La Touquet's town hall, the town is 'the most British of French resorts.' It apparently has high hopes that the name change will strengthen the town's connection with the UK.
Le Touquet airport isn’t even the only French transport hub to pay homage to the UK monarch. Paris metro station George V was temporarily renamed Elizabeth II for the day of her funeral.
The new QEII airport doesn’t actually run commercial services and is mostly used by private planes – in fact, it’s only a 15-minute flight from Lydd airport in Kent. Charter flights will set you back more than £200 ($229) per person. But maybe that’s a price worth paying for a royal seaside day trip.
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