Thousand Years

French President Emmanuel Macron begins a two-day visit to Britain on Wednesday, viewing the landmark Bayeux Tapestry exhibition with King Charles III and becoming the first EU leader to be hosted by Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Charles and Queen Camilla are set to join Macron and his wife Brigitte to view the tapestry, which depicts the Norman conquest of England in 1066. The work, on display to the public from next week at the British Museum, has not left France since it was made nearly 1'000 years ago.

The two couples will be joined by Burnham and his wife at the exhibition, the culmination of years of diplomacy and viewed as another step towards healing the rancour of the Brexit years. The tapestry will be on display at the British Museum until next July.

Post-Brexit cooperation

Burnham will be looking for concrete outcomes when he holds talks with Macron on Thursday, eyeing closer post-Brexit cooperation with the European Union. "The loaning of the tapestry is a great example of French-British cooperation, the same cooperation that has helped us reduce summer small boat crossings to a seven-year low," Burnham told parliament.

For Macron, the visit is also significant as he approaches the final months of his presidential term. The French leader remains eager to press his vision of European sovereignty not dependent on the United States, and the UK is seen as having a crucial role to play even after Brexit.