Overview
- David Hockney urged the British Museum to abandon plans to transport the 11th‑century embroidery, calling the move reckless and warning that rolling, mounting and environmental changes could cause irreversible damage.
- The British Museum’s director, Nicholas Cullinan, defended the exhibition, highlighting a world‑leading conservation team, extensive loan experience and close work with French colleagues on the tapestry’s care.
- The UK Treasury will cover potential loss or damage under the Government Indemnity Scheme, with an estimated £800 million valuation attached to the loan as part of a wider Franco‑British cultural exchange.
- The tapestry has been removed from public display and placed in secure storage ahead of its scheduled showing in the British Museum’s Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery from September 2026 to July 2027, with dry‑run transport trials, vibration limits and a bespoke case planned under French‑trained supervision.
- Opposition continues from experts and the public, including a petition exceeding 40,000 signatures and fresh warnings from scholar Shirley Ann Brown, as conservation records since 2020 note 24,204 stains, 9,646 holes and 30 tears.