French President Emmanuel Macron visited the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum in London on Wednesday alongside King Charles III and the new British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham.
The monarch presided over the event with a solemn speech, in which he began speaking in French and thanked Macron for the “trust” placed in the United Kingdom to bring the tapestry “for the first time in its long and remarkable history” to British territory, an idea that, as he recalled, was already conceived during his State visit to France in 2023.
“It is thanks to the certainty you have always had, and that I fully share, that tonight we find ourselves here so that the tapestry can be displayed in London, for the benefit of the peoples of our two countries, as the best possible symbol of that ‘Entente Amicale’ (‘Friendly Entente’) that we have both spoken about with such affection,” said Charles III, addressing Macron.
The historic piece is temporarily installed in London, after being loaned for ten months by the French state. The work, nearly a thousand years old, is one of the great symbols of the relationship between France and the United Kingdom. This enormous embroidery, about 70 meters long, narrates the Norman conquest of England in 1066. Some consider it the first comic book in history.
The tapestry will be on display in an exhibition opening to the public on September 10. The piece, whose insured value amounts to 960 million euros (1.1 billion dollars), arrived in London in July in a secret, high-security operation, by road and rail. It is the first time since the 11th century that the Bayeux Tapestry has been exhibited on British soil.
The loan can be seen as a reflection of the positive moment currently experienced in relations between France and the United Kingdom, which President Macron wanted to materialize in this historic gesture. The loan of the tapestry has not been without controversy. Some consider that the piece presents a favorable view of a violent conquest, the only invasion of England that managed to consolidate itself durably and profoundly transformed the country’s identity.
“The story of the tapestry speaks of ambition and uncertainty, of oaths, journeys, ships, councils, kings, comets, and consequences,” the monarch commented. “However, it is not merely a British story, nor a Norman one either.”
The arrival of the Normans also meant the introduction of their language among the elites, Anglo-Norman, to the detriment of Old English. To these historical issues is added the concern about the delicate state of conservation of a fabric of extraordinary value and extreme fragility.
The cloth tells the story of the conquest of England by William, Duke of Normandy, in 1066. Made by embroidery between 1066 and 1082, probably commissioned by Bishop Odo of Bayeux, it was conceived to be shown on the occasion of the consecration of Bayeux Cathedral in 1077.
Beyond its enormous artistic value, the tapestry is an exceptional historical source on the Norman conquest of England. Its scenes cover events from the death of King Edward the Confessor to the coronation of William, initially known as William the Bastard and later as William the Conqueror.
“When our societies hesitate, we need places and works of art that allow us to contemplate together what humanity is capable of creating and transmitting,” Macron said after the visit.