By Serge Duchêne
Published on
French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to London this Wednesday 2 September to open an exhibition at the British Museum devoted to the Bayeux Tapestry, an 11th-century work depicting William the Conqueror’s conquest of England, the Elysée announced on Friday.
Macron will also have a “first in-depth exchange” with the new British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, on Thursday, the presidency said.
He is also expected to “have the opportunity to greet King Charles”, a presidential adviser added, without giving further details.
The main purpose of the visit is “the opening of the exhibition marking the loan of the Bayeux Tapestry to the British Museum”, an event described by a presidential adviser as “a particularly significant moment” for Franco-British relations and personally championed by the current occupant of the Elysée.
The French leader wants to highlight this “exceptional loan” of the piece, which left France for the first time in more than 900 years when it was transported to London under tight security.
On Friday, the British Museum unveiled some sections of the work depicting the 1066 Battle of Hastings and the invasion led by William the Conqueror’s Norman army.
The exhibition will be open to the public from 10 September to 11 July 2027; 100,000 tickets have already been sold for the first four months.
The French president, who will be accompanied by his wife, Brigitte Macron, is “very much looking forward” to seeing the tapestry displayed “in optimal conditions”.
In London, the 70-metre-long linen embroidery will be shown flat for the first time, rather than hung vertically as it has been in Bayeux for decades.
According to the British Museum, this exhibition layout makes it easier to grasp the full scale of the work.
This historic move from Bayeux in Normandy prompted protests from experts who feared irreversible damage to the tapestry, which had already been weakened by 30 unstabilised tears and nearly 10,000 holes. An online petition circulated at the time of Macron’s decision, calling on the relevant French authorities to abandon the loan.
The journey nevertheless took place in optimal conditions, and the French Culture Minister, Catherine Pégard, visiting London in mid-July, said she was delighted to see the thousand-year-old embroidery “in very good condition”.
The French leader’s visit will be the first by a head of state or government from the European Union since Andy Burnham took office last month, following the resignation of Keir Starmer, with whom Macron had worked closely and forged warm personal ties.
“The president had built a very friendly and extremely effective relationship with Prime Minister Starmer, particularly on the Ukraine and Middle East files,” a presidency official said.
Coordination with his successor is expected to be “equally important and regular”. “Contact was established immediately” with Burnham, the presidency added, also highlighting his first steps in office, including a swift trip to Kyiv to demonstrate his support for Ukraine.
Additional sources • AFP, franceinfo