Macron visits Bayeux Tapestry with King and UK PM

French President Emmanuel Macron visited the Bayeux Tapestry, an ancient symbol of Anglo-French relations, with King Charles III and UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham at the British Museum. The 70-meter artwork, depicting the Norman conquest of England in 1066, was on loan from France for a 10-month exhibition. Macron and Burnham, along with their spouses, toured the tapestry, which was transported secretly from France to London in July.

Burnham praised the event as a landmark moment in the history of the two nations. The tapestry, stitched in wool thread on linen fabric, tells the story of events leading up to the Battle of Hastings in 1066, when William, Duke of Normandy, defeated King Harold's Anglo-Saxon army. It was commissioned by Bishop Odo of Bayeux, William's half-brother, and likely sewn by English women, possibly nuns.

The loan was agreed upon after diplomatic negotiations, despite some concerns about the risk of moving the delicate cloth. In return, the British Museum is lending Viking and Anglo-Saxon treasures to museums in Normandy. The year 1066 is a significant date in British history, and the loan of the tapestry is being treated as a once-in-a-millennium cultural event.

Burnham plans to host Macron for talks at 10 Downing St on Thursday, with efforts to stop migrants crossing the Channel in small boats being a key agenda item.