The Bayeux Tapestry has arrived at the British Museum in London, leaving France for the first time since it was made nearly 1,000 years ago.
King Charles inspected the embroidery on Wednesday alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Andy Burnham. The loan was announced during Macron's state visit in July 2025, though Macron said the idea had first been suggested in the 1930s.
The 70 metres (230 feet) work is a woven artwork. It will be displayed in an illuminated glass cabinet at the British Museum.
The tapestry was originally embroidered in England and kept for centuries in France. It depicts the Norman conquest of England and the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
King Charles said he is a direct descendant of William, Duke of Normandy, whose army invaded and defeated King Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The work records an event central to the histories shared by England and Normandy.
Charles described the Bayeux Tapestry as the 'best possible symbol' of the closeness between the United Kingdom and France. He also called the loan an 'unprecedented loan' and a 'precious symbol of trust' between the two countries. He addressed attendees in both French and English.
Macron said the countries could build a bond 'as close as the threads' of the artwork. Charles said the loan symbolised 'entente amicale' between France and the UK.
The public exhibition opens on 10 September and will run until July as a 10-month exhibition. Tickets are sold out through the end of 2026.
Macron is on a two-day visit to the UK. He will become the first European Union leader to meet Burnham at Downing Street.
Burnham told MPs that the loaning of the tapestry was a great example of French-British cooperation.
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