London, United Kingdom. The Bayeux Tapestry has arrived in Britain for the first time in nearly 1,000 years ahead of a sold-out exhibition at the British Museum, following a tightly controlled transfer from France. The medieval embroidery was transported under police escort in a specially designed crate before completing the final stage of its journey to London.
Security operation and transfer
The 70-metre embroidery, which depicts the 1066 Norman conquest of England, was moved in an air-conditioned, anti-vibration crate under French police escort to the Eurotunnel before crossing the Channel. British authorities then took over for the final leg of the transfer.
The French government said the operation relied on “unprecedented logistical and security means” developed over more than a year by the French and British governments.
Exhibition and ticket sales
The tapestry, believed to have been made by English embroiderers, has generated nearly £2.5 million in ticket sales, making it the British Museum’s best-selling exhibition.
It will now undergo condition checks before being installed in a custom-built showcase ahead of the exhibition’s opening on September 10.
Diplomatic significance
France confirmed the loan last July during President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Britain as a guest of King Charles. The transfer has been presented as a symbol of closer ties between the two countries following strains after Britain’s 2016 vote to leave the European Union.
In the Times newspaper, Macron wrote: “This … is a gesture of trust, a tangible expression of a long-standing friendship and a sign of our shared desire to see France and the United Kingdom build their future together.”
British culture minister Lisa Nandy said in a statement released by the museum: “Make no mistake – this is an historic moment and a significant act of friendship as we welcome this iconic historical tapestry back to Britain.”
British Museum director Nicholas Cullinan said in the same statement: “Watching the Tapestry arrive at the Museum is a moment I will never forget.”
Historical background
The tapestry is itself a product of an earlier period of Anglo-French rivalry, having been embroidered in the years after William the Conqueror, backed by a Norman army, seized the English throne.