French get royal go-ahead to rename Touquet airport after Queen Elizabeth

The French seaside resort of Le Touquet said Monday it had received the official go-ahead from Britain's King Charles to rename its airport after his mother Queen Elizabeth II, who died last September.

"The International Airport of Le Touquet Paris-Plage is about to undergo a historic transformation by taking on the name 'Elizabeth II International Airport of Le Touquet Paris-Plage'," the northern resort's town hall said in a statement.

"This is a tribute to a great Queen and her uncle who had a fondness for France, as well as a recognition of the 'most British of French resorts'," the statement added, saying an inauguration date had yet to be set.

The authorities had requested the name change just days after the queen, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, died on September 8 aged 96.

Le Touquet, about an hour's drive south of Calais, is a popular resort where French President Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte notably have a home.

The airport opened in the 1930s and swiftly becoming a favoured destination for well-heeled Britons.

The town hall noted that the queen's uncle, Edward VIII, used to travel over by plane to enjoy horseback riding and sand yachting, sometimes accompanied by his niece.

In the 1950s the airport was France's third busiest after Orly outside Paris and Nice on the French Riviera.

Later this year, Le Touquet will host the England rugby team for its training camp for the World Cup starting on September 8 and running to October 28.

cab/cw/giv

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