The French honorary consul’s main function is to aid French nationals on his (or her) patch of British soil.  Over the years, French nationals have had their political differences:  Bonapartists v. royalists; royalists v. imperialists; imperialists v. republicans and republicans v. communards.  However, once any French citizen is on British soil, s/he is under the protection of the apolitical French consul in their area.

In 1940, The Brighton consul was an exception to the ‘apolitical’ rule.

Honoré Migot Honorary Consul for Brighton 1937-1947

Following the armistice of 22 June 1940 and the occupation of large parts of France by the Nazi forces, the French, yet again, became a divided nation. The government decamped to Vichy and became a puppet of the Nazi regime.  General de Gaulle decamped to London and vowed to fight on – with or without the British. Most of the consular staff in London were attached to the Vichy (collaborationist) regime.  Many of them hurried back home to France. 

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