UK knew of former French president’s ill health for 10 years, papers reveal

Suspicions over Francois Mitterrand's health were raised a decade before his cancer prognosis was made public

A British diplomat raised concerns about the secret extent of French president Francois Mitterrand's ill health a decade before the statesman's terminal prognosis was made public, newly released official papers reveal.

Sir Reginald Hibbert, the UK government's ambassador in Paris, appraised Whitehall colleagues in December 1981 with talk about the president's health which seemed to me to carry a certain amount of conviction".