BRIGITTE Macron, first lady of France, has opened up about her marriage in a rare and revealing interview.
Brigitte, 70, met Emmanuel, 45, when he was 15 and she was his drama teacher at a Catholic school in northern France.
AlamyThe Macrons met when Brigitte, 40, was 15-year-old Emmanuel’s married drama teacher[/caption]
France 5A picture of him kissing his future wife years ago caused a stir when it reemerged as he entered politics[/caption]
Brigitte was married with three children around his age when they met at school
Their relationship, which caused a huge scandal in the small town, continued to develop – but she put off marrying him for a decade.
Already married when she taught him, and with a daughter who was his classmate, Brigitte assumed he’d move on.
The French president’s parents sent him to Paris to another school, and she said she told herself that he would “fall in love with someone his [own] age”, once there.
But this turned out not to be the case as many years later – the pair, 24 years apart in age, were married.
Brigitte’s son is just three years older than her husband, and her daughters are also close to him in age.
Apparently Macron’s parents even thought he was in love with Laurence, Brigitte’s daughter and his classmate before they found out the truth, according to Reuters.
His father reportedly asked Brigitte to stay away from him until he turned 18, to which she tearfully said: “I cannot promise you anything”.
She reportedly once said: “Nobody will ever know at what moment our story became a love story. That belongs to us. That is our secret.”
When her children were teenagers – like Emmanuel – Brigitte claimed she didn’t want to “wreck their lives” with her relationship.
“That lasted ten years, the time to put them on the rails. You can imagine what they were hearing.
“But I didn’t want to miss out on my life,” she added.
They married in 2007 when Macron was in his late twenties after her children were older and she had divorced her first husband, banker Andre Louis Auziere.
When Macron later hit the political limelight, footage of him kissing his future wife on the cheek – when he was just a teen and she was his married teacher – emerged.
He is now step-father to his wife’s three adult children, including son Sebastien who is two years older.
Macron does not have any biological children with his wife, although he is also the step-grandfather of Brigitte’s seven grandchildren.
He won the 2017 French presidential election for his centrist party La République En Marche! (On the Move) in May 2017.
He came to power at the age of 39, making him the youngest president in the history of France.
In the revealing interview, Brigitte also shed light on the couple’s daily life.
She said the President gets home around 10 or 11pm after a long day of politics while she spends time on charitable causes.
And despite being married for over 15 years, he apparently still amazes her with his memory and intelligence.
“I had many brilliant pupils and none had his capability. I have always admired him,” she gushed.
Macron was 15 when they first met
GettyMacron and wife Brigitte attend a drinks reception for Queen Elizabeth II during the G7 Summit in Cornwall[/caption]
Macron came to power in 2017 as the youngest president in the history of FranceRex