Bayeux Tapestry arrives in UK for first time in nearly 1,000 years under police guard

The 70m-long 11th-century embroidery depicting the Norman Conquest has returned to England and will go on display at the British Museum from September 2026.

• The tapestry arrived at the British Museum at 02:50 BST, under police escort from northern France, and was unloaded into a loading bay.
• French President Emmanuel Macron said the loan was "a gesture of trust" and a sign of shared friendship between France and the UK.
• British Museum director Nick Cullinan confirmed the tapestry is returning to England for the first time in nearly 1,000 years.
• The tapestry will be displayed flat at the British Museum from 10 September 2026 to 11 July 2027; 100,000 tickets were sold on the first day of sales.