French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to London on September 2 and 3 for the inauguration of the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition at the British Museum, in what will be the first visit by a European Union leader since Andy Burnham became British Prime Minister on July 20. The trip comes days before the medieval masterpiece opens to the public on September 10, following its arrival in London on July 10 — the first time the tapestry has left France in over 900 years.
Macron played a decisive role in securing the historic loan of the 11th-century embroidery, which will remain on display until July 11, 2027. The French president announced the agreement last year after lengthy negotiations, presenting it as a celebration of Franco-British relations. The exhibition, described by one of Macron's advisers as "a particularly strong moment desired by the President of the Republic for the Franco-British relationship," will be inaugurated on Wednesday afternoon in the presence of Brigitte Macron and representatives of the British authorities.
The visit is part of a broader rapprochement between London and Brussels, mediated through Paris, after years of tensions linked to Brexit. In May 2025, the United Kingdom and the European Union concluded an agreement on defence and trade, and subsequently established the British return to the Erasmus programme from 2027. A summit between London and Brussels, initially planned for July, was postponed after Starmer's resignation and is expected to take place before the end of the year.
Burnham completed his first foreign mission this week in Kyiv, co-chairing with Macron a meeting of Ukraine's allies that also included German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. During the trip, he met European Council President Antonio Costa, to whom he expressed the need for the United Kingdom to be "more courageous" in its rapprochement with the EU.
The London visit marks the final week of Macron's "European return" before he leaves power in the spring after ten years leading France. On Monday, Macron is expected in Sweden to strengthen military-industrial cooperation, during the signing of a €4.3 billion contract for the acquisition of four French frigates by Stockholm. On Wednesday, before departing for London, he will travel to Eindhoven in the Netherlands to discuss with Prime Minister Rob Jetten the strengthening of "European sovereignty," particularly in technological matters. Accompanied by a delegation of French companies, including Mistral AI, he will visit ASML, a European semiconductor player. After the United Kingdom, Macron is expected to participate on Thursday in the traditional Franco-German meetings at Évian in the French Alps.
Macron intends to "promote" this "exceptional loan" of the work that depicts William the Conqueror's conquest of England in 1066. The French president is said to be "very impatient" to see the tapestry "displayed in optimal conditions," for the first time "flat and whole." The historic transfer from Bayeux in Normandy had caused concern among experts and heritage defenders in France who feared irreversible degradation. French Culture Minister Catherine Pégard, however, said she was delighted to see the thousand-year-old embroidery "in excellent condition."