Overview
- The Élysée announced on August 28 that President Emmanuel Macron will travel to London to open the British Museum exhibition of the 11th‑century Bayeux Tapestry and to hold a first in‑depth meeting with new UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
- The tapestry arrived at the British Museum on 10 July as part of a loan decided in July 2025 and will be on display at the museum through 11 July 2027.
- The transfer prompted sustained concern from French heritage experts over potential damage to the fragile embroidered cloth, but Culture Minister Catherine Pégard inspected the work in mid‑July and reported it was in very good condition.
- Museum organisers say the tapestry will be shown flat and in one piece for the first time at the British Museum, an arrangement Paris presents as an exceptional cultural gesture.
- Macron’s London visit is framed as part of a wider 'rentrée européenne' tour focused on defence, industry and cooperation across Europe and may include an audience with King Charles III.