<p>The father of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday he was in the process of applying for a French passport to maintain his ties with the European Union after Brexit.</p>.<p>Stanley Johnson, a former member of the European Parliament who voted Remain in Britain's 2016 referendum, told RTL radio he wanted to become a French citizen because of strong family links to France.</p>.<p>"If I understand it correctly, I am French. My mother was born in France, her mother was totally French as was her grandfather. So for me it is about reclaiming what I already have. And that makes me very happy," said the 80-year-old Johnson, who was speaking in French.</p>.<p>"I will always be a European, that's for sure. One cannot tell the British people: you are not Europeans. Having a tie with the European Union is important," he added.</p>.<p>His son Boris was the public face of the Leave campaign in the 2016 referendum and says Britain can "prosper mightily" as a fully sovereign nation outside what he sees as an overly bureaucratic EU.</p>.<p>But on Wednesday the prime minister sounded a more concilatory note as parliament approved a new trade deal with the EU, saying: "This is not the end of Britain as a European country. We are in many ways the quintessential European civilisation... and we will continue to be that."</p>.<p>The United Kingdom officially leaves the EU's orbit on Thursday night, after an often strained 48-year liaison with the European project.</p>
<p>The father of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday he was in the process of applying for a French passport to maintain his ties with the European Union after Brexit.</p>.<p>Stanley Johnson, a former member of the European Parliament who voted Remain in Britain's 2016 referendum, told RTL radio he wanted to become a French citizen because of strong family links to France.</p>.<p>"If I understand it correctly, I am French. My mother was born in France, her mother was totally French as was her grandfather. So for me it is about reclaiming what I already have. And that makes me very happy," said the 80-year-old Johnson, who was speaking in French.</p>.<p>"I will always be a European, that's for sure. One cannot tell the British people: you are not Europeans. Having a tie with the European Union is important," he added.</p>.<p>His son Boris was the public face of the Leave campaign in the 2016 referendum and says Britain can "prosper mightily" as a fully sovereign nation outside what he sees as an overly bureaucratic EU.</p>.<p>But on Wednesday the prime minister sounded a more concilatory note as parliament approved a new trade deal with the EU, saying: "This is not the end of Britain as a European country. We are in many ways the quintessential European civilisation... and we will continue to be that."</p>.<p>The United Kingdom officially leaves the EU's orbit on Thursday night, after an often strained 48-year liaison with the European project.</p>