Napoleon Bonapart French Revolution EtAl, wanted the Measurement system not based on the size of the King's Feet.

England still likes Royalty. (gives the paparazzi something to do)

The meter was originally defined to be one ten millionth of the distance between the
North Pole and Equator, on a longitude through Paris.

even that proved to be Off, when a standard piece was Made to be the reference to calibrate all others.

And the Prime meridian of Longitude is on the Greenwich Observatory in England ,
Not through Paris..