The chief butler at France's presidential palace has been taken into custody, accused of masterminding a sophisticated two-year plot to steal historic tableware valued at hundreds of thousands of pounds.
A Highly Organised Theft Operation
Hundreds of precious porcelain plates, cups, and silver dishes vanished from the Elysée Palace, the official residence of President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte. The stolen items were part of the palace's official collection, much of it used to host world leaders at prestigious state events.
The butler, identified only as Thomas M., is in his forties and had worked at the palace for five years. His role granted him direct responsibility for meticulously setting tables and managing the entire inventory of ceremonial items. Police allege he exploited this position of trust to discreetly remove items one by one before falsifying records to cover his tracks.
Arrests were made last week during simultaneous raids on two homes and a business. Thomas M. was detained alongside his partner and a 30-year-old antique porcelain dealer named Ghislain M. All three have reportedly confessed to their involvement in what authorities describe as a 'highly organised operation'.
Historic Tableware Used for Royal Visits
A significant portion of the stolen goods were exquisite pieces from the renowned Sèvres porcelain factory, founded in 1756. This tableware had been used to entertain dignitaries including King Charles III and Queen Camilla during their state visit to France.
Adding to the scandal, some of the missing items were specially commissioned by the French Presidency in 2018 for approximately £400,000. Every piece was stamped with the words 'Elysée Palace', a mark that should have made them nearly impossible to sell on the open market.
An investigating source revealed that a large number of the stolen items were recovered during the raids. "Some were hidden in the chief suspect’s bedroom," the source said. "All were neatly wrapped and placed in drawers."
Confessions and Forthcoming Trial
The elaborate scheme began to unravel when the volume of disappearances became too great to conceal, eventually alerting palace security staff. According to his lawyer, Thomas Malvolti, the chief butler felt "overwhelmed" and "caught up in a kind of spiral". Malvolti stated his client expressed relief that the thefts were over, feeling "completely out of his depth".
The three suspects have pledged to return everything and are expected to face trial at the Paris Correctional Court in February 2026. Under French law, even those who confess are entitled to a trial to determine the full extent of their involvement.
In a curious twist, the arrested antique dealer, Ghislain M., also works part-time as a gallery attendant at the Louvre museum. This connection comes just months after the Louvre was itself targeted by thieves in a separate heritage theft where £75 million worth of jewellery, known as France's 'crown jewels', was stolen and remains missing.
