President Emmanuel Macron has agreed to loan the Bayeux tapestry to the United Kingdom, allowing the 11th-century embroidery to leave France for the first time in 950 years. The decision is expected to be announced at an Anglo-French summit at Sandhurst on Thursday.
The loan, which has involved lengthy talks between culture departments, is not expected to occur until at least 2022, when the Bayeux Museum closes for refurbishment. Work is needed to ensure the tapestry can be safely moved, an Elysée official confirmed.
The British Museum is the leading candidate to host the tapestry, with its director Hartwig Fischer calling it “a gesture of extraordinary generosity.” The museum’s temporary exhibition gallery is 70 metres long, able to accommodate the 68-metre tapestry. Other possible venues include Westminster Cathedral, Canterbury Cathedral, and Hastings.
Prime Minister Theresa May will use the loan to highlight the strength of UK-French relations after Brexit. The announcement is expected to lighten the mood at the summit, where leaders will also discuss migration and security cooperation.
The tapestry, which depicts the Norman conquest of England in 1066, has rarely been moved, even within France. Previous attempts to loan it to the UK, for the Queen’s coronation in 1953 and the 900th anniversary of the battle in 1966, were unsuccessful. A reciprocal loan, possibly the Rosetta Stone, is expected to be discussed.
