An 11th-century tapestry known as the Bayeux Tapestry arrived at the British Museum after a secret journey through the night on Friday, The Associated Press reported. France is lending the tapestry to England while the French museum undergoes a two-year renovation.
“The Bayeux Tapestry has set off for London,” said French President Emmanuel Macron in a social media post. “This millennia-old treasure that recounts our shared history is crossing the Channel.”
The tapestry, a 70-meter embroidered cloth that depicts events leading to the 1066 C.E. Norman Conquest of England, was first taken to France in the 11th century shortly after it was finished.
France and England have applauded the effort as a continuation of Entente Cordiale, a series of diplomatic agreements signed by France and England in 1904 that largely ended their centuries-long disputes.
Transportation of the tapestry was kept secret due to security concerns. The AP reported that the move through the night was done on a truck that passed through the Channel Tunnel, a journey that took 11 hours.
The millennium-old tapestry is expected to bring in loads of visitors while in London. “We are expecting seven and a half million visitors,” George Osborne, chair of the British Museum, told Sky News. “That is more than the entire 270-odd-year history of the British Museum.”
Despite the excitement surrounding the piece, others have criticized the move as putting the tapestry in unnecessary danger.
Why is it controversial?
The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the earliest visual stories in Europe and has largely influenced how the public remembers the Norman Invasion in 1066, when William the Conqueror became King of England after coming from France.
Recently deceased artist David Hockney commented on the project in January when plans to move the tapestry were in the works.
Hockney, writing in The Independent, said, “Some things are too precious to take a risk with. Moving the Bayeux tapestry is one of them.”
“The tapestry is acclimatised to tightly controlled conditions in Bayeux,” the artist said. “Sudden changes in temperature, humidity or light exposure can lead to fibre contraction or expansion or colour fading.”
He also said that “modern museum practice is meant to prioritise preservation over access.”
French voices have also pushed back against the project. After Macron and then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the plan in July 2025, a petition calling the loan a cultural crime amassed 60,000 signatures.
“Rolling up something that has been hanging in the same place for hundreds of years could, in seconds, lead to damage,” said Hockney. “To what end? The vanity of a museum which wants to boast of the number of visitors. Is it really worth it? I think not.”
