Maybe you’ve been too wrapped up in American politics to pay much attention to French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron. However, their relationship has been the subject of much scrutiny. Brigitte Trogneux was Emmanuel Macron’s 39 year old drama teacher when she met the 15 year old. Now, she’s the first lady of France and there’s a documentary out about them. So let’s hear their real love story.
Youngest Leader Since Napoleon
All eyes have been on Emmanuel Macron for some time now. He’s now France’s youngest leader since Napolean! At age 39, this President was took office as head of the En Marche! political party, with his wife right by his side. Despite being 25 years older, the two have never hid their relationship from the public.
Youngest Leader Since Napoleon
Who Is Brigitte Trogneux?
So who is this First Lady of France? Brigitte Macron, formerly, Brigitte Trogneux, is the youngest of six kids. Her family is famous in France for their chocolate-making empire. Back in 1974, Brigitte Trogneux had married a banker named André-Louis Auzière. Together, they had three children. However, everything changed when this mother of three met one high school boy named Emmanuel Macron.
Who Is Brigitte Trogneux?
School Play
Nothing like your average love story, their romance has been the subject of much fascination. When Brigitte Trogneux was around 40 years old she was working as a teacher at a Jesuit high school in her hometown of Amiens, France. She taught Emmanuel Macron in her literature classes and worked with him on the school play. Macron was 15 years old when he acted in the play that Brigitte Trogneux directed.
School Play
Sent Away
At time time, Emmanuel Macron was in class with Brigitte’s daughter, Laurence. Emmanuel Macron’s parents did not expect him to fall for Brigitte instead of Laurence or someone his age. Hearing this revelation that the two were in love, his parents took him out of that school in the north of France. Instead, they sent him to a school in Paris. When speaking with writer Anne Fulda, Emmanuel Macron’s mother, Françoise, said, “We couldn’t believe it.”
Sent Away
Reaction From His Parents
His mother added, “What is clear is that when Emmanuel met Brigitte we couldn’t just say: ‘That’s great’.'” Apparently, she also tried to speak with her son’s teacher, telling Brigitte, “Don’t you see. You’ve had your life. But he won’t have children with you.”
Reaction From His Parents
Facing The Challenges
Even a close friend of Emmanuel Macron, Pascale Bourdrel, said that Brigitte had some difficulties, dealing with their 25 year age gap. Bourdrel told Tech2, “It took a lot of courage for Brigitte to continue to see Emmanuel, to face his family. There were meals to which she was invited, but not Emmanuel.”
Facing The Challenges
Hesitation
Initially, Brigitte wasn’t looking to get married to Emmanuel Macron. Bourdrel explained that Brigitte confided in him that she felt hesitant to marry even though Emmanuel wanted to marry. He said, “She was a bit reluctant. I told her I couldn’t see why, and she said: ‘You don’t understand his age, my age. Maybe he wants children.’ I said, ‘Brigitte, you’re happy with him anyway. Take the happiness.’”
Hesitation
Finally Tying The Knot
Eventually, Brigitte got divorced from André-Louis Auzière. Shortly after, she married Emmanuel Macron in 2007. It was only a year after her official divorce from her first husband. Despite the challenges, the two finally tied the knot!
Finally Tying The Knot
Becoming Husband And Wife
Thus, Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron became husband and wife. The two married in Le Touquet, a beachfront town in France. At the time, Emmanuel Macron was 29 years old and Brigitte was 54 years old.
Becoming Husband And Wife
The Toast
While toasting Brigitte and new family, Emmanuel Macron said, “Each and every one of you is a witness to these last 13 years. And you have accepted us. You have made us what we are today…I want to thank you for loving us the way we are, and I want to thank Brigitte’s children because this has not been easy for them.”
The Toast
Unauthorized Biography
Early in 2018, an unauthorized biography called Brigitte Macron: An Unfettered Woman was released. Written by Maelle Brun, the book details the relationship between Brigitte and Emmanuel from the very beginning. Within the book, Brun says the two would often meet at the pool. There, Emmanuel hid in the bushes if someone approached.
Unauthorized Biography
Their Secret
Journalist Anne Fulda wrote that Brigitte said, “Nobody will ever know at what moment our story became a love story. That belongs to us. That is our secret.” So, even with all of the rumors and speculation, Brigitte and Emmanuel have kept some of the details to themselves.
Their Secret
Her Ex
In Maelle Brun’s book, she made the claim that Brigitte’s ex-husband left Amiens once the news broke due to embarrassment. Apparently, he didn’t even return to the town for his mother’s funeral years after. One former neighbor of the couple in Amiens told Brun, “He was never seen again. It was as if he had disappeared.”
Her Ex
Isolation
Once their affair was exposed, the locals began to ostracize Brigitte. Brun wrote, “From one day to the next, her friends with whom she was planning a vacation, refused to speak to her.”
Isolation
His Muse
From Macron’s teacher to partner, their relationship grew and developed. Of course, the two became husband and wife. Through each of these phases, Brigitte remained a light and inspiration. Macron spoke of his partner and mentor after winning the first round of presidential voting, saying, “Without her, I wouldn’t be me.”
His Muse
New Path
Things were very different for Brigitte before Emmanuel came into her life. She had a steady career, working as a Latin, drama and French literature teacher. She had three kids with a banker, and they seemed to be happily married. Then, as she told Paris Match in 2016, “Love took everything in its path and led me to divorce. It was impossible to resist him.”
New Path
Changing Careers
Then Brigitte divorced Auziere in 2006 and got married to Emmanuel Macron a year later. The two moved to Paris, where she would work as a teacher. However, she left that career in 2015 to help Emmanuel. At that time, he was the economy minister for France.
Changing Careers
New Role
In the recent documentary, the world got to see how Brigitte Macron has become her husband’s coach. They see how she helps him run through his speeches and prepare to deliver them. She told Paris Match, “Every night we debrief together and we repeat what we have heard about each other. I have to pay attention to everything, do the maximum to protect him.”
New Role
Full Of Love
Again, the couple has been very open about their romance. They do not try to hide their relationship. In fact, at an event for En Marche!, Emmanuel spoke directly about their situation. He said, “We do not have a classic family, it’s undeniable. But do we have less love in this family? I do not think so. Maybe there’s even more than conventional families.”
Full Of Love
Documentary
The documentary called Brigitte Macron: A French Novel came out in June 2018. During the documentary, it becomes clear that Brigitte is Emmanuel’s muse. Although Brigitte Macron declined the interview by Virginie Linhart, the director, Brigitte did give the filmmaker her blessing. During this deeply personal documentary, the whole world was given an inside view of what began as a forbidden high-school love affair and now has blossomed into a beautiful marriage. Within the film, they speak with family members to get firsthand accounts.
Documentary
No Promises
In the film, it shows how distraught Brigitte was when Emmanuel Macron was just 16 years old and fell for her. Then his parents requested she stop seeing Emmanuel until he officially became an adult and turned 18. However, as the film quoted, she responded, “I can’t promise you anything.”
No Promises
Leaving Home
Remember, Brigitte was married to André-Louis Auzière at the time. So what really happened to him? Well, he found out his wife was carrying on this love affair with their daughter’s classmate and up and left. He moved to further north to Lille, a town by the Belgium border.
Leaving Home
Long Distance
However, Emmanuel’s parents were not overjoyed at this relationship. Remember, he was sent to finish his schooling in Paris. Yet, throughout his education there, the two stayed together. For 13 years, they stayed together, even while coping with the distance until marrying in 2007. Most surprising is what Brigitte’s daughter said.
Long Distance
Vision Of Love
Considering that their mother left their father for someone 25 years her junior, it surprised many that Brigitte’s children have been so accepting of their stepfather. Actually, Brigitte’s daughter Tiphaine said the following in the documentary, “If I have to give a vision of love, it’s Emmanuel and mum. When they are together, it is almost as if the world doesn’t exist.”
Vision Of Love
First Learning About Emmanuel
When Tiphaine was only 9 years old, she remembers first hearing about Emmanuel Macron. Her first recollection was when her sister Laurence, who was in Emmanuel’s class, came home from school and said, “Mummy, there is a crazy boy in our class who knows everything about everything.”
First Learning About Emmanuel
Blended Family
Now, Emmanuel Macron is the stepfather to Brigitte’s three children, Sebastien, Laurence and Tiphaine. Actually, Sebastien is two years older than Emmanuel and Laurence is his age, while Tiphaine is 34. Tiphaine worked as a lawyer for Emmanuel’s campaigh and said he has an “exceptional personality” and is an “intelligent man.” In addition to his three adult stepchildren, Emmanuel now has seven step-grandchildren. However, Emmanuel has no biological kids.
Blended Family
Getting Their Blessing
Before they got married, Emmanuel Macron wanted to get the approval of Brigitte’s children. Actually, he even got their blessing before popping the question. Tiphaine Auziere spoke with BFMTV saying, “It was a powerful act because not everyone would have taken that precaution, to come and ask us for her hand in marriage. I mean, it wasn’t quite like that, but he did want to know if this was something we could accept.”
Getting Their Blessing
Professing His Love
Even though the initial time line is fuzzy, we do know that Emmanuel Macron was only 17 when he first professed his love for Brigitte Trogneux. Before leaving to study in Paris, he told her, “Whatever you do, I will marry you.”
Professing His Love
Brigitte’s Daughter Speaks Out
During the documentary, this was the first time that Tiphaine Auzière, Brigitte’s youngest child, ever spoke publicly about her mother’s love affair. She explained how this intelligent and bright-eyed 15 year old fell in love with her mother. She said, “They were quite smitten and it was quite obvious between them and very difficult.” Again, when the two met, Tiphaine was only nine years old.
Brigitte’s Daughter Speaks Out
Approval Ratings
Now, Brigitte is very well liked by the French people. Paris match reported that 67 percent of people approve of her. In addition, 68 percent said Brigitte “represented the country well abroad,” and then 64 percent felt she is a “positive influence” on Macron. Funny enough, only 43 percent of people saw her husband in a positive light.
Approval Ratings