Macron Views Bayeux Tapestry with King Charles and Andy Burnham

The Bayeux Tapestry has returned to England after 1,000 years, drawing French President Emmanuel Macron, King Charles III and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham to the British Museum in London.

France loaned the famous medieval textile for a 10-month exhibition. England had repeatedly sought to borrow it, including for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953 and the 900th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings in 1966.

During the visit, Macron said he hoped France and Britain would build relationships “as close as the threads” of the tapestry. Charles called the loan a “valuable symbol of trust.”

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as close as the threads

The 68-meter embroidered hanging, made from thin linen, belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage list and depicts the Norman conquest of England in 1066. The embroidery is believed to have been produced in southern England in 1082.

The exhibition opens on September 10 and will run for 10 months. Tickets have already sold out through the end of the year. Macron combined the opening with his first visit as an EU head of state to Burnham, Britain’s new prime minister.

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valuable symbol of trust