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Britain and France planned 'merger in 1950s'
Last updated at 12:22pm on 15.01.07
The countries discussed the possibility of Elizabeth II becoming the French head of state
Britain and France talked about a 'union' in the 1950s and even discussed the possibility of Elizabeth II becoming the French head of state.
Once-secret papers from the National Archives have yielded the discoveries. On September 10, 1956, French Prime Minister Guy Mollet came to London to discuss the possibility of a merger between the two countries with Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden.
A British Cabinet paper from that period reads: "When the French Prime Minister, Monsieur Mollet, was recently in London he raised with the Prime Minister the possibility of a union between the United Kingdom and France."
At the time of the proposal, France was in economic difficulties and faced the escalating Suez crisis.
But when Mr Mollet's request for a union failed, the French premier quickly responded with another radical plan: that France be allowed to join the British Commonwealth.
According to the BBC, this proposal appears to have met with more warmth from the British politician.
A document dated September 28, 1956 records a conversation between Sir Anthony and his Cabinet Secretary, Sir Norman Brook.
It says: "The PM told him (Brook) on the telephone that he thought in the light of his talks with the French:
"That we should give immediate consideration to France joining the Commonwealth;
"That Monsieur Mollet had not thought there need be difficulty over France accepting the headship of her Majesty;
"That the French would welcome a common citizenship arrangement on the Irish basis."
Nonetheless, this proposal was also eventually rejected. A year later France signed the Treaty of Rome with Germany and the other founding nations of the Common Market.
Mike Thomson, presenter of the BBC's Document programme, writes on the BBC website that the revelatory papers "have lain virtually unnoticed since being released two decades ago".
No record of the proposals is thought to exist in French archives. Document's A Marriage Cordial will be broadcast on Radio 4 at 8pm tonight.
Reader views (7)
Alex the common market treaty was the foundation of the european union so the french considered this "merger" before the EEA and EU existed.
- Matt, Darlington, UK
That would've been a bad thing overall for the Commonwealth. Even if the French somehow got their government and citizenry to go along, they'd have opted back out within a decade or two.
- Kinney, United States
With the European Union in effect I see no reason why this would or even should happen. Strengthen Europe as a whole would be the better way forward, I think.
- Alex, Toronto, Canada
I've read references to this proposed merger before in several history books, it really wasn't that much of a secret.
- Ivan, florida, USA
For more than half a millennium English monarchs dreamt of that very thing. You could have had it in one peaceful stroke of the pen but passed it up! I wonder if the Queen knew about this at the time (not that she would have been for it, necessarily).
- Wss, U.S.
I'm happy this never went through. The French and English both have their unique heritage and culture, and great ones at that. Assimilation would lead to watering-down of traditions and language. In this age of rapid globalization we need to protect what we have!
- Steve, Port Washington, Wisconsin, USA
It’s a shame we did not go for this union we may have been much better off in the long run. We are not that much different and the language barrier would have eventually disappeared with both countries becoming bilingual and maybe a mishmash of both. The amount of English people living in France now is quite huge compared to the 1950s and same with the French living in England so it may come about anyway over many years.
- Steve, London, England
