- Prime Minister Andy joins Their
Majesties The King and
Queen, and the President of
France, Emmanuel Macron to visit the Bayeux Tapestry
exhibition at the British Museum.
- New UK-wide education programme will
bring the history of the Bayeux Tapestry to
communities across the country.
- Two-day visit by President Macron builds
on close UK-France ties as
both countries tackle
shared global challenges to
give people breathing space at home.
The Prime Minister will join
Their Majesties The King and Queen, and the
President of France, Emmanuel Macron, to visit the
Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum today (2
September) as it returns to England from France for the
first time in more than 900 years.
The historic moment reflects the close ties between the
two nations as the Prime Minister and President Macron meet
for the first time to continue to deepen cooperation on
shared priorities and deliver for the people of the
United Kingdom and France.
The visit will also mark the launch of the British Museum's
'Bayeux Around Britain' programme, a nationwide
initiative designed to bring the story of the Bayeux
Tapestry to communities across the UK.
More than 70 partner organisations across all four nations
have already joined the programme, with the
digital exhibition expected to be displayed in
museums, galleries, castles, cathedrals and heritage
sites across the country.
As part of the programme, thousands of school children will take
part in a live national history lesson on 14 October, exploring
the significance of the Bayeux Tapestry and its place in the
shared history of Britain and France.
The initiative will support opportunities for children and young
people to engage with history and culture, helping ensure access
to educational experiences regardless of where they live, a key
priority for the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister said:
"The return of the Bayeux Tapestry to England is a landmark
moment in the history of our two nations, and I want people
everywhere in the country to be able to enjoy it.
"The Bayeux Around Britain campaign will give communities across
the UK the opportunity to learn about one of the defining stories
of our past.
"As we celebrate our shared heritage, President Macron and I will
continue to strengthen the relationship between our two nations."
The government provides more than £80 million a year to the
British Museum, helping campaigns such as the Bayeux
Around Britain reach communities across the UK.
The Museum of Cornish life in Cornwall, Knutsford
Heritage Centre in Cheshire, East Riding Museum in Yorkshire, The
Great Tapestry of Scotland are all due to host digital
displays, while Hastings will become a major historic hub of
learning due to its historic links to the 1066 Battle.
Later this month, the Stothard Cast, the earliest known replica
of the Bayeux Tapestry, will begin a nationwide tour spanning
England, Scotland and Wales, bringing this remarkable
chapter of shared British and French history to audiences far
beyond London.
Culture Secretary said:
Britain and France have a unique shared history and nothing
symbolises it more than the Bayeux Tapestry.
"This will be the first generation in 1000 years who will be able
to see this unique part of our heritage and we are determined
that children from all backgrounds across every part of Britain
have the chance to see it.
"The British Museum has pulled out all the stops to ensure that a
generation of British children will remember it for the rest of
their lives.
"Great works of art belong to us all, and I am proud to be part
of the government that has delivered such a significant cultural,
historical and diplomatic moment for this country."
Dr Nicholas Cullinan OBE, Director of the British Museum,
said:
Since this historic loan was announced last year, we have been
committed to making this a significant cultural moment for the
whole of the UK. The Bayeux Around
Britain programme will help to ensure that this
once-in-a-generation exhibition is not confined to London but is
accessible to tens of millions of people across the country.
It is the most ambitious and inclusive programme
we or any museum in the UK has ever done.
Following the British Museum meeting with Their
Majesties The King and Queen, the President is expected
to meet the Prime Minister at Downing Street on Thursday.
The two leaders are expected to discuss a number
of shared challenges and opportunities facing the UK and
France, including migration, trade and
energy, as well as Russia's ongoing aggression in Ukraine
and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
ENDS
- Further details on the bilateral will be set
out separately.
