Macron, King Charles and Burnham view Bayeux Tapestry in London

The pair and their wives were joined by British Prime Minister Andy Burnham at a special celebratory event to mark the historic tapestry showcase at the British Museum, which opens to the public next week.

The work depicting the 1066 Norman conquest of England which had not left France since it was completed nearly 1,000 years ago will be on display until July next year, in a loan championed by Macron.

The French leader said he hoped future generations would recall "the tale of two countries which, after centuries of shared history, chose to forge a bond as close as the threads of this thousand-year-old embroidery".