French President Emmanuel Macron, in London on Wednesday, accompanied by King Charles III, unveiled the historic Bayeux Tapestry, which is on display at the British Museum from September 10 to July 11, 2027. Macron had personally decided to loan the tapestry for a year with the aim of “reviving the cultural relationship” and demonstrating the “trust” currently prevailing between Paris and London. Macron met with British Prime Minister Andy Burnum before their meeting on Thursday in Downing Street.

Published on: 02/09/2026 - 18:59 Last updated: 03/09/2026 - 07:45

British King Charles III, accompanied by French President Emmanuel Macron, on Wednesday visited the exhibition that includes the historic Bayeux Tapestry, an embroidered work dating back nearly 1,000 years and depicting William I's conquest of England in 1066.

Under an agreement with the French government, the tapestry, which is 70 meters long, was loaned to the British Museum from its headquarters in northern France to be displayed on English soil for the first time since it was made.

This embroidered tapestry recounts the events that led to the famous Battle of Hastings and the defeat of the Anglo-Saxon King Harold II at the hands of the Normans.

Read also: After a thousand years... the Bayeux woven fabric returns to England on an exceptional historical journey

Historians believe that Bishop Odo, William's brother, ordered the fabric to be made and that English seamstresses in the Kent area embroidered it.

All the kings of England since then, including King Charles, are descendants of William.

His invasion of England represents the last successful invasion of the country, and the year 1066 is considered one of the most famous years in its history.

“We have mutual respect for each other.”

Macron said that he hopes that France and Britain will “weave relations as strong as the threads” of this woven fabric “which date back thousands of years,” in a speech he gave after visiting the exhibition, which has not yet opened its doors to the public.

He stated, "Even if we do not always agree on all issues, we have mutual respect for each other... and we remain open to discussing all topics, including reviving relations between Britain and the European Union."

For his part, the British Monarch expressed “special happiness” at seeing the tapestry, whose loan from France constitutes “a valuable token of trust” and “the best symbol of friendly agreement” between the two parties.

Earlier on Wednesday, Macron, accompanied by his wife Brigitte, first went to meet King Charles and Queen Camilla, away from the cameras, at their London residence at Clarence House.

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The demand for viewing this medieval masterpiece was so great that the first batch of tickets, whose price may reach 33 pounds sterling, was completely sold out, generating revenues of approximately 2.5 million pounds sterling ($3.4 million), making this the museum’s most ticket-selling exhibition.

The loan of the fabric was confirmed in July during an official visit by Macron to Britain, and the step is a symbol of strengthening relations between the two countries after the dispute that followed Britain’s vote in 2016 in favor of leaving the European Union. The king and the president have a friendly relationship.

“The return of the Bayeux Tapestry to England represents a historic moment for our two countries, and I want people across the country to be able to enjoy it,” Burnam said in a statement. “As we celebrate our shared heritage, President Macron and I will continue to strengthen the relationship between our two countries,” he added.

The fabric arrived in Britain in July on a carefully organized journey from France, and was transported inside an air-conditioned, vibration-resistant box under police guard.

France 24/AFP

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