Chirac is spared his own Waterloo

LONDON, Nov 15 (AFP) – The Waterloo Chamber at Windsor Castle will be renamed for just one night Thursday when Queen Elizabeth II entertains French President Jacques Chirac with a special performance of “Les Miserables”.

The name switch follows possible unease at Buckingham Palace’s decision to stage a show of friendship towards the French head of state in a room named after the Battle of Waterloo.

A palace spokeswoman told AFP that the huge Waterloo Chamber – an elegantly decorated room within the queen’s weekend retreat, west of London – would be renamed the Music Room for the evening.

“It was fitting for the night,” she explained.

The Chamber was built to commemorate Britain’s decisive victory over Napoleon Bonaparte in 1815, and to provide a setting for more than 20 portraits of the military leaders and heads of State who helped defeat the French emperor.

Chirac’s official visit to Britain on Thursday and Friday will conclude a year of events marking the 100th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale which ended Anglo-French colonial rivalry, especially in North Africa.

Britain decided that the best way to end a year of events marking the alliance would be a performance of the musical “Les Miserables”, based on Frenchman Victor Hugo’s novel.