PARIS – French officials are considering loaning the historic Bayeux Tapestry to Britain for the first time.

The mayor of the Normandy town of Bayeux and the director of the museum that houses the 70-meter (230-foot)-long tapestry are holding a meeting about the discussions Wednesday.

The museum and town hall would not release details of the discussions or confirm a report in The Times newspaper that French President Emmanuel Macron will announce the loan of the artwork when he meets British Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday.

The tapestry is a both a treasured work of medieval art and a valuable historical document that depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066. It last left Normandy during World War II.</s>Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Bayeux Tapestry is 70m (230ft) long

The Bayeux Tapestry is set to be displayed in the UK after France agreed it could leave its shores for the first time in 950 years, the BBC understands.

French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to announce the loan during his visit to the UK on Thursday.

He has said the tapestry - which depicts the Norman Conquest of England - would not be transferred before 2020.

The Times said the loan was subject to the outcome of tests to make sure the 11th Century artwork was safe to move.

The tapestry tells the story of the future William I's conquest of England, culminating in the Battle of Hastings and the defeat of Harold in 1066.

It is on permanent display at a museum in the town of Bayeux, in Normandy, and has very rarely been moved.

However, President Macron is expected to announce the proposed loan at a meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May in the UK this week.

The Times said the agreement was made after "months of talks between culture department officials in London and Paris" but it has not yet been decided where in the UK the tapestry will be displayed.

What are the origins of the tapestry?

Historians have long debated the origins of the tapestry, which is 70m (230ft) long and 50cm high.

The earliest written reference to it is an inventory from Bayeux Cathedral in 1476, but little is known about how or why it was created.

According to Reading Museum, which houses a replica of the tapestry, it was "probably commissioned" in the 1070s by the half-brother of William the Conqueror - the Bishop Odo of Bayeux.

Some say it was created by teams of nuns across England - not France - possibly in Canterbury, Kent.

In 2012, a PhD researcher at the University of Manchester said the artwork's needlework was "consistent throughout", suggesting one group of specialist embroiderers worked on it, in the same place at the same time.

What does it depict?

The tapestry shows the events leading up to the Norman takeover of England.

It starts with Edward the Confessor, who became king in 1042, on the throne and tells the story of his death and the questions over who was the rightful heir.

In 1066, on the day of Edward's funeral, his brother-in-law Harold was crowned king.

News of his appointment reached France and William of Normandy, who claimed he should be king as Edward had promised him the throne of England.

Image caption Harold is crowned king after the death of Edward the Confessor

On 14 October 1066, William I and King Harold II came to loggerheads at the Battle of Hastings - one of the most famous battles in English history.

It is likely both sides had between 5,000 and 7,000 men each when they met in battle at a hilltop near Hastings.

Thousands of soldiers were killed in a day of a fighting, which ended in King Harold II's death.

It was a turning point in history as it ended the Anglo-Saxons's long reign of more than 600 years.

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Where has it been exhibited?

Image caption The tapestry shows a soldier being killed by an arrow in his eye, which could be King Harold

Napoleon put the tapestry on display in Paris in 1804, while he was planning an invasion of England.

It was then exhibited in Paris for the second time in 1944, during World War II, before it was returned to Bayeux.

Mr Macron's offer comes after previous attempts to bring the tapestry to Britain failed.

One request is thought to have been made ahead of the Queen's Coronation in 1953, while another was made for the 900th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings, in 1966.

Some have suggested the tapestry could be relocated to the British Museum if it gets the go ahead to come to the UK.

Dr Michael Lewis of the museum told the Victoria Derbyshire programme 1066 was a date "we all know" from being at school so it would be "amazing" if children could go and see the tapestry.

"For the wider public, people will be amazed about how long it is, and it definitely has a real impact when you see this work of art," he added.

Can it be moved?

Tests will decide if the tapestry can be moved safely and get to the UK in one piece.

BBC History magazine's Dr David Musgrove says its size, age and obvious fragility makes moving it a concern.

But he told the BBC Radio 4's Today programme moving it would also present an opportunity to conduct some interesting historical research on its dyes and fabrics.

What are the myths and legends of the tapestry?

The story that Harold was killed by an arrow in the eye is thought to have come from the tapestry. However, earlier sources dispute this and claim he was hacked to death by four Norman knights.

Dr Levi Roach, a medieval historian at the University of Exeter, said the tapestry was confiscated for military use, for covering weapons, during the French Revolution, before a lawyer saved it.

Should we give them something in return?

Tom Tugenhadt, chair of the foreign affairs select committee, said the UK should "definitely" consider it.

"This is an opportunity for us to cement the relationship," he told BBC Radio 4's Today.

"One of the interesting items we might perhaps think about lending... is the Rosetta stone, which was discovered in Egypt."

According to the British Museum, it is likely that the stone was found by Napoleon Bonaparte's soldiers while on a mission to threaten Britain's hold on India.</s>Emmanuel Macron and Theresa May will sign a treaty on Thursday increasing Britain’s contribution towards preventing migrants in Calais from crossing the Channel and speeding up the asylum process for those entitled to claim refuge in the UK.



The agreement aims to strengthen an accord known as Le Touquet, signed in 2003, which moved the British border to France. This will remain in force.

The two leaders will also announce closer cooperation in defence, security and cultural exchanges, including the possible loan by France of the Bayeux Tapestry some time after 2020.

This last element of the 35th Anglo-French bilateral summit, to be held at Sandhurst military academy, was described as “very symbolic” for both countries.

Macron had been seeking an overhaul of the Touquet accord, saying France could no longer be Britain’s “coastguard” without concessions from the UK to help ease the migration crisis on France’s Channel coast.

Under the new, legally binding treaty, Britain will agree to accelerate procedures for accepting legitimate asylum seekers currently blocked in Calais, including those seeking to rejoin their families in the UK and unaccompanied children, and will pay more for transport security and maintaining the border in the French port.

Élysée officials said drawing up a new treaty to address “important weaknesses” in the Touquet agreement was quicker than revising the existing document. The deal would also open discussions on possible British financial support for the Calais region, they said.

“We have to send the signal that the border [at Calais] is not open or porous”, the Élysée said, echoing Macron’s message during a trip to the Channel port on Tuesday.

Officials said France was anxious not to prejudice Brexit negotiations on any future relationship between the UK and the EU, but was determined that Anglo-French ties “must not be weakened”. France hopes that Britain, described as a “vital” defence partner, will continue to play a strong role in European defence cooperation after Brexit, if not via a “special status” with the EU then through its ties with France.

Macron is travelling to London with seven ministers or secretaries of state covering defence, interior, foreign and European affairs, Europe, culture, economy and ecology. The Élysée said representatives from both countries would discuss “defence, intelligence and security … pillar of bilateral relations”.

Britain and France will reaffirm their determination to cooperate on the joint development of military hardware, including combat drones, and announce a “very significant” increase in Britain’s operational support for French military operations in the Sahel region in Africa and a contribution of “several tens of millions of euros” to the Sahel Alliance, a French-led development initiative.

The Élysée said discussions about Brexit were not on the agenda. A presidential adviser said France would “look with kindness” on any decision by Britain to reverse the course of Brexit and remain in the European Union.

“If tomorrow, or the day after, the United Kingdom decided to change its mind, it’s clear that we would look at this with kindness. But it’s not up to us to say if the UK wants to change its mind.”

May and Macron will announce bilateral agreements on student exchanges, town twinning and further cultural exchanges.

The Bayeux Tapestry, which is nearly 70 metres long and 50cm high, depicts the Norman conquest of England when William, the French Duke of Normandy, defeated King Harold in the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Its origins are hotly disputed, and it is not in fact a tapestry but a long woven and embroidered cloth.



Élysée officials said the proposed loan by France to Britain was under discussion and would be unlikely to happen before the 2020s, when the Bayeux Museum where the work is on display will undergo renovation. “It [the cloth] is extremely fragile and must itself be restored before it can be moved,” said an official.

It would be the first time the Unesco-listed work has left France in 950 years. “It’s very symbolic for France and perhaps even more so for the UK,” a French official said.

After the summit and a press conference, Macron and May will attend a reception at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.</s>, Sandhurst, United Kingdom, Jan 18 – Prime Minister Theresa May welcomed her French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Thursday for a high-profile summit, preceded by a British promise to pay more for border security in the migrant hot-spot of Calais.

The two leaders arrived at the Sandhurst military academy near London for the wide-ranging talks, following lunch at the Royal Oak pub in May’s Maidenhead constituency.

The French flag was flying at the academy where the two were greeted by a guard honour and the sounds of the French national anthem on a rainy day.

Macron’s arrival comes hours after the UK government pledged an extra £44.5 million (50 million euros, $62 million) to boost security around Calais following a request from Macron.

The funding will go towards fencing, CCTV and detection technology in the northern French port city as well as at other points along the Channel from which migrants regularly attempt to reach British shores by ferry or train.

While the two countries cooperate closely in numerous areas, including intelligence and defence, differences over migration have strained ties.

The money would be on top of more than £100 million already paid by Britain following a border deal between the two countries that has now been renegotiated and is due to be signed on Thursday.

The announcement followed France playing its own diplomatic card with a promise to loan Britain the Bayeux Tapestry.

The offer was confirmed by May who Wednesday heralded the “very significant” decision to temporarily move the celebrated thousand-years-old artwork, which depicts the Norman conquest of England.

May’s Downing Street office said the summit was an opportunity to “further our shared aims and ambitions and demonstrate our close ties.”

The British and French leaders also aim to deepen cooperation in tackling terrorism at the meeting, as the UK tries to strengthen bilateral ties before leaving the European Union in March 2019.

The gathering at Sandhurst military academy — the 35th UK-France summit — is expected to focus on the sensitive issue of immigration as hundreds of people continue to camp out in Calais.

In addition to more funds from Britain, a UK government spokesman said May is also expected to welcome young refugees stuck in the city.

The two countries currently abide by the 15-year-old Treaty of Le Touquet, which permits immigration checks within each other’s borders.

A new treaty will be signed at Thursday’s summit to complement the 2003 deal, according to French officials.

The extra £44.5 million pledge was criticised in the British press, with the right-wing Daily Mail calling the Bayeux Tapestry offer as “a sweetener” and dubbing the Calais agreement “Le Stich-up!”

Macron is expected to confirm on Thursday that France will agree in principle to loan the fragile 941-year-old embroidery.

The Sun tabloid created its own “Bye-EU Tapestry”, charting Britain’s victorious exit from the European Union.

Despite Brexit dominating the political debate in the UK, the issue is not scheduled for formal discussion at the summit but it will likely come up in talks on other topics, a British official said.

The British prime minister is also set to commit to sending Royal Air Force (RAF) helicopters to a key French counter-terrorism operation in Mali.

The deployment of three RAF Chinook helicopters to provide logistic support to French troops tackling jihadis across Africa’s Sahel region is part of broader counter-terrorism and military efforts there by the UN, the EU and the African Union.

It is seen as particularly significant as France is lacking in such capabilities and Britain’s commitment could mark the start of a longer-term deployment in the region.

“Recent terrorist attacks across Europe underline the scale of the cross-border challenge we face in keeping our citizens safe,” a UK government spokesman said.

France in turn has agreed to commit troops to the British-led NATO battlegroup in Estonia in 2019.

At the summit the pair will also discuss their joint crackdown on online extremism “to ensure that the internet cannot be used as a safe space for terrorists and criminals,” the spokesman said.

Britain is also expected to allocate £50 million in additional aid for those affected by epidemics, natural disasters and conflict across Mali, Niger, Chad, North Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Mauritania.</s>PARIS — French officials are considering loaning the historic Bayeux Tapestry to Britain for the first time.

The mayor of the Normandy town of Bayeux and the director of the museum that houses the 70-meter (230-foot)-long tapestry are holding a meeting about the discussions Wednesday.

The museum and town hall would not release details of the discussions or confirm a report in The Times newspaper that French President Emmanuel Macron will announce the loan of the artwork when he meets British Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday.

The tapestry is a both a treasured work of medieval art and a valuable historical document that depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066. It last left Normandy during World War II.</s>French officials are considering loaning the historic Bayeux Tapestry to Britain for the first time.

The mayor of the Normandy town of Bayeux and the director of the museum that houses the 70-meter (230-foot)-long tapestry are holding a meeting about the discussions Wednesday.

The museum and town hall would not release details of the discussions or confirm a report in The Times newspaper that French President Emmanuel Macron will announce the loan of the artwork when he meets British Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday.

The tapestry is a both a treasured work of medieval art and a valuable historical document that depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066. It last left Normandy during World War II.</s>PARIS/LONDON (Reuters) - France will lend Britain the Bayeux Tapestry, an 11th century treasure that tells the tale of how William the Conqueror came to invade England in 1066, an official at the presidential Elysee Palace in Paris said on Wednesday.

The announcement, a day before French President Emmanuel Macron is due to visit Britain for talks with Prime Minister Theresa May, was greeted with enthusiasm in Britain where the tapestry has powerful historical resonance.

“This is huge. This is an extraordinary diplomatic outreach by the president of France and a fantastic gesture of goodwill from one of our nearest and closest allies,” said lawmaker Tom Tugendhat, chair of parliament’s foreign affairs committee.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for the British people to see one of the seminal works in our national history,” he said during an interview on BBC radio.

The 70-metre long tapestry, whose precise origins are obscure and which has not left France in its nearly 950-year known history, is currently on display in the town of Bayeux, in the northwestern French region of Normandy.

The Elysee official said the loan was agreed in principle but would not take place for several years because work needed to be done on the tapestry to ensure it was safe to move it.

“It’s very symbolic for France and maybe even more for the UK,” he said.

The invasion of England by Duke William of Normandy, better known as William the Conqueror, and his victory over the Anglo-Saxon King Harold at the Battle of Hastings, changed the course of English history.

The Norman conquest transformed England’s language, laws, customs and architecture, and Queen Elizabeth is the 40th monarch in a royal line that traces its origin back to William the Conqueror.

There is no consensus on where the tapestry was made. Some researchers believe it was made in Kent, southern England, but many others have pointed to locations in France.

May is likely to hail the loan as a sign of the strong friendship between Paris and London, which like Britain’s relations with other European nations is under strain because of the United Kingdom’s looming exit from the European Union.

The Elysee official said the loan fitted into Macron’s strategy for the revival of European sovereignty and democracy, detailed in a speech in Athens in September last year during which he spoke about the importance of cultural and historic ties between European nations.

“The president had insisted during his speech in Athens on a Europe of culture and the arts, and it’s important to put this in practice with our British neighbors to symbolize the strength of our historical relationship,” said the official.

The Times newspaper’s cartoonist Peter Brookes linked Bayeux and Brexit in his offering in Wednesday’s edition, which was drawn in the style of the tapestry.

It depicted Macron as “Emmanuel the Conqueror” riding forth with a confident smile as May, brandishing a Brexit banner, received an arrow in the eye -- the fate that befell King Harold according to the tapestry.

Britain’s foreign minister Boris Johnson was depicted slumped forward on a horse with two arrows in his bottom.</s>SANDHURST, England (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Thursday she was honored that France will lend Britain the Bayeux Tapestry, an 11th century treasure that tells the story of William the Conqueror's invasion of England in 1066.

"Our shared history is reflected in the loan of the Bayeux Tapestry to the UK in 2022, the first time it will be on British soil in more than 900 years," May said in a statement as she welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron on a visit to Britain.

"I am honored at the loan of such a precious piece of our shared history which yet again underscores the closeness of the UK-France relationship," May said.

The loan would be part of a wider cultural exchange between Britain and France over the next four years, she said.

The 70-metre long work, the precise origins of which are obscure and which has not left France in its nearly 950-year known history, is currently on display in the town of Bayeux, in the northwestern French region of Normandy.

Macron told reporters that the France and Britain were now fighting wars together, a reference to cooperation between the two former European adversaries against armed Islamist movements including in countries Mali.

"We are in a way making a new tapestry together," he said.

A French official said on Wednesday the loan would not take place immediately because work needed to be done on the tapestry to ensure it was safe to move it.</s>PARIS/LONDON (Reuters) - France will lend Britain the Bayeux Tapestry, an 11th century treasure that tells the tale of how William the Conqueror came to invade England in 1066, an official at the presidential Elysee Palace in Paris said on Wednesday.

The announcement, a day before French President Emmanuel Macron is due to visit Britain for talks with Prime Minister Theresa May, was greeted with enthusiasm in Britain where the tapestry has powerful historical resonance.

“This is huge. This is an extraordinary diplomatic outreach by the president of France and a fantastic gesture of goodwill from one of our nearest and closest allies,” said lawmaker Tom Tugendhat, chair of parliament’s foreign affairs committee.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for the British people to see one of the seminal works in our national history,” he said during an interview on BBC radio.

The 70-metre long tapestry, whose precise origins are obscure and which has not left France in its nearly 950-year known history, is currently on display in the town of Bayeux, in the northwestern French region of Normandy.

The Elysee official said the loan was agreed in principle but would not take place for several years because work needed to be done on the tapestry to ensure it was safe to move it.

“It’s very symbolic for France and maybe even more for the UK,” he said.

The invasion of England by Duke William of Normandy, better known as William the Conqueror, and his victory over the Anglo-Saxon King Harold at the Battle of Hastings, changed the course of English history.

The Norman conquest transformed England’s language, laws, customs and architecture, and Queen Elizabeth is the 40th monarch in a royal line that traces its origin back to William the Conqueror.

There is no consensus on where the tapestry was made. Some researchers believe it was made in Kent, southern England, but many others have pointed to locations in France.

May is likely to hail the loan as a sign of the strong friendship between Paris and London, which like Britain’s relations with other European nations is under strain because of the United Kingdom’s looming exit from the European Union.

The Elysee official said the loan fitted into Macron’s strategy for the revival of European sovereignty and democracy, detailed in a speech in Athens in September last year during which he spoke about the importance of cultural and historic ties between European nations.

“The president had insisted during his speech in Athens on a Europe of culture and the arts, and it’s important to put this in practice with our British neighbors to symbolize the strength of our historical relationship,” said the official.

The Times newspaper’s cartoonist Peter Brookes linked Bayeux and Brexit in his offering in Wednesday’s edition, which was drawn in the style of the tapestry.

It depicted Macron as “Emmanuel the Conqueror” riding forth with a confident smile as May, brandishing a Brexit banner, received an arrow in the eye -- the fate that befell King Harold according to the tapestry.

Britain’s foreign minister Boris Johnson was depicted slumped forward on a horse with two arrows in his bottom.</s>The Bayeux Tapestry could be put on display in Britain following reports French president Emmanuel Macron has agreed to allow the artwork to leave France for the first time in 950 years.

The tapestry, nearly 70 metres (230ft) long, depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England by William the Conqueror against his opponent Harold, Earl of Wessex, and culminates in the Battle of Hastings.

According to The Times, Mr Macron is expected to announce the loan of the artwork when he meets Theresa May at Sandhurst on Thursday.

The paper said the director of the Bayeux Museum in Normandy – where the tapestry is currently based – confirmed preparations were under way for the embroidery to be re-located, but said tests would need to be carried out to make sure it could be moved without being damaged.

The location for the display in Britain is not thought to have been decided and it could take five years before it reaches British shores.

The tapestry last left Normandy to be put on display in Paris in 1804 and briefly at the Louvre in 1944 before being returned to Bayeux.

The French President will hold talks with the Prime Minister at the UK-France summit, which a spokesman said would highlight cross-Channel co-operation on issues such as climate change, air pollution, cyber threats and the human genome.
The Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the Norman conquest of England, is to be displayed in the United Kingdom for the first time after French President Emmanuel Macron agreed to loan it out for the first time in 950 years. Subject to the outcome of tests, the loan is expected to happen somewhere after 2020.