Story of the Bayeux Tapestry to be brought to communities across the country as Prime Minister joins The King and Queen and President Macron at exhibition opening

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 Andy Burnham 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 Lisa Nandy 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.