“It took five years, but it happened,” rejoices the British novelist who says he developed an interest in France from a very young age.
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“I am proud to be French”announced Tuesday 18 November on France Inter British novelist Ken Follett, who recently obtained French citizenship. He obtained his French identity card after a ceremony that took place last Thursday at the Residence of France, in London, where the author also received the officer’s badge of the Legion of Honor.
Ken Follett has applied for naturalization in 2021. It all started one evening at the French embassy in London, a year earlier, he told France Inter exclusively. An English friend who had taken French citizenship had explained it to him, and so had he “contributed significantly to French culture”he can make a request. “It took five years, but it happened.”
“I am pleased”confides in the author Earth Pillar. Ken Follett developed a love for France, its culture, gastronomy and heritage from his first visit to France, when he was still young. “I became more and more a friend of France and I loved it. So when I was told ‘You can become a citizen’, I did it!”he said. “The French have a way of life that I like, they discuss intellectual topics (…) and what’s more, they eat well, drink well, dress well”, he believes.
“I really like France and I hate Brexitadded the author. The consequences of Brexit continue and are worse than we expected.” The current Labor government is unable to act because of the economic impact, he explained. “I’m from the Labor Party, my wife is a Labor MP, but everything the socialist government wants to do, we can’t do because of the lack of money and the lack of money is because of Brexit.”he complained.
His latest novel, Day Circlepublished by Robert Laffont in September. The next one will be released in 2027, Ken Follett announced.
