Bayeux Tapestry to come to Britain AFTER Brexit in 2022 as Macron launches charm offensive
THE Bayeux Tapestry will come to Britain after Brexit in 2022 after France agreed to loan the artwork as French President Emmanuel Macron launched a charm offensive during talks with Theresa May.
Macron: I'd like loan of Bayeux Tapestry to open a new chapter
Emmanuel Macron arrived in Britain today for showdown talks with the Prime Minister, which saw Britain agree to spend £44.5million on border controls at Calais and other ports along the Channel.
But the French President did attempt to sweeten the deal by loaning the Bayeux Tapestry as both Mr Macron and Theresa May seized the opportunity to stress the close bond between France and Britain.
Confirming the loan of the Bayeux Tapestry Mrs May said: "Our shared history will also be 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.
"The loan of the tapestry will form part of a wider cultural exchange taking place between Britain and France over the next four years.
"I'm honoured at the loan of such a precious piece of our shared history which yet again underscores the closeness of our relationship."
The tapestry, that tells the tale of how William the Conqueror came to invade England in 1066, is currently on display in the Bayeux Museum in France.
Our shared history will also be 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
Mr Macron said he hoped the loan of the Bayeux Tapestry would help forge cultural and scientific links.
He said: ”We are making a new tapestry together.
"We are very proud of this piece of art, it is a unique piece of art.
"The Bayeux Tapestry is very much an invitation for us to be humble, not given what William the Conqueror was able to do but because of how much creativity the tapestry represents.
"I very much would like this loan to open a new chapter when it comes to our cultural co-operation, scientific co-operation so that we can exchange more pieces of art in order for our fellow citizens to share this joint history and also for our artists to be in constant contact to build a future, to build imagination which knows no borders."
The loan comes amid talks on migration, defence as well as Brexit.
The French president, making his first visit to Britain since entering the Elysee Palace, was greeted at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, with a guard of honour from the Coldstream Guards.
Before the ceremonial welcome, the two leaders enjoyed a working lunch at the Royal Oak pub in Paley Street, in Mrs May's Maidenhead constituency.
Officials said the £44.5 million cash injection for border controls would go towards fencing, CCTV and detection technology in Calais and other ports along the Channel.
Part of the money will also go towards helping relocate people away from Channel ports to prevent another migrant camp from forming as it did in Calais in 2015.
Bayeux Tapestry coming to UK is very significant says May
The summit was also an opportunity for the two leaders to underline their countries' enduring ties, despite Britain's impending withdrawal from the EU.
Increasing co-operation on defence and counter-terrorism was high on the agenda at an event which saw the first meeting together of the heads of the two countries' main intelligence agencies.
The heads of MI5, MI6, GCHQ and France's DGSE and DGSI discussed how they can work together to counter threats such as the targeting of concert venues like Manchester Arena and the Bataclan in Paris, and terrorists using the internet as a "safe space".
Britain also committed to participating in Mr Macron's "European intervention initiative", which officials do not regard as a European army but a plan to enhance co-ordination of existing armed forces.
Three RAF Chinook helicopters and around 50 non-combat troops will be deployed to Mali to provide logistical support to French forces attempting to stabilise the Sahel region of Africa where extremists like Islamic State and al Qaida have gained a foothold.