The French will be conspicuously absent from the ceremonies in Belgium, which are expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors (including plenty of European royalty). The coin debacle was arguably France’s main contribution to the Waterloo bicentenary. The world’s media had a field day mocking French “sore losers”, while Belgium outmanoeuvred its neighbour by releasing special €2.5 coins, using a little-known rule that allows eurozone countries to mint coins of their choice provided they are in an irregular denomination. The authorities in Brussels were forced to get rid of about 180,000 such coins after Paris sent a letter saying they could cause an “unfavourable reaction in France”. But French enthusiasm for anniversary coins stopped short last month when Paris found out that neighbouring Belgium was minting special two-euro coins for Waterloo (the battle took place on Belgian soil). Commemorative coins for World War I and D-Day have been selling like hot cakes in France of late.

Boots of the forgotten conqueror