French President Macron to Unveil Bayeux Tapestry in Historic UK Loan

French President Emmanuel Macron begins a two-day visit to Britain on Wednesday, viewing the landmark Bayeux Tapestry exhibition with King Charles III.

Macron will become the first EU leader to be hosted by Prime Minister Andy Burnham. The tapestry depicts the Norman conquest of England in 1066. Under a deal struck with the French government, the 70-meter (230-foot) Tapestry has been loaned to the British Museum from its home in northern France. This marks the first time the tapestry has been on English soil since it was made nearly 1,000 years ago.

Historians believe the embroidery was likely commissioned by William's brother Bishop Odo and stitched by English seamstresses in Kent. The tapestry recounts events leading up to the Battle of Hastings and the subsequent Norman defeat of Anglo-Saxon King Harold II. Every English monarch since, including Charles, can trace their lineage back to William I. The loan was confirmed last July during Macron's state visit to Britain and is seen as a symbol of closer ties between the countries after Brexit.

King Charles and his wife Queen Camilla will be joined by Macron and the president's wife, as well as British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, to walk the length of the Tapestry. The first batch of tickets to see the medieval masterpiece, costing up to £33, have sold out, generating nearly £2.5 million ($3.4 million). This makes it the British Museum's best-selling exhibition.

Macron has played an instrumental role in championing the loan of the 950-year-old tapestry. The French culture ministry insisted the tapestry arrived in good condition despite experts' fears it could be damaged. Macron is very eager to see the tapestry displayed in optimal conditions laid out flat at full length on a table, a French presidential official said.

Prime Minister Burnham described the loan as a great example of French-British cooperation. Peter Thiel, Palantir’s co-founder, was given a private VIP viewing of the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum in August, hosted by the museum’s director of development. The public faced queues of up to 80,000 people for tickets.