Brigitte Macron

Brigitte Macron was born Brigitte Marie-Claude Trogneux in Amiens, France. She is the youngest of six children{{Cite web|url= http://gw.geneanet.org/wikifrat?lang=fr&p=brigitte&n=trogneux|title= Brigitte TROGNEUX – Fraternelle : l'encyclopédie biographique de l'Homo erectus – Geneanet|website= Geneanet|access-date= 15 April 2017}} of Simone (née Pujol; 1910–1998) and Jean Trogneux (1909–1994), the owners of the five-generation Chocolaterie Trogneux,{{Cite news|url=http://www.lexpress.fr/styles/vip/qui-est-brigitte-trogneux-l-epouse-d-emmanuel-macron_1693001.html|title=Qui est Brigitte Trogneux, l'épouse d'Emmanuel Macron?|last=Lévy-Frébault|first=Tiphaine|date=25 June 2015|work=L'Express|access-date=3 May 2017}} founded in 1872 in Amiens.{{cite news|title=Arras : la chocolaterie Trogneux va déménager sur la place des Héros|url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/archive/recup%3A%252Fregion%252Farras-la-chocolaterie-trogneux-va-demenager-sur-la-ia29b0n3133866|access-date=7 May 2017|work=La Voix du Nord|date=30 October 2015}} The company, now known as Jean Trogneux,{{cite web|title=Homepage|url=http://www.trogneux.fr/boutique/liste_rayons.cfm?code_lg=lg_fr|website=Jean Trogneux|access-date=7 May 2017|archive-date=9 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170509002405/http://www.trogneux.fr/boutique/liste_rayons.cfm?code_lg=lg_fr|url-status=dead}} is run by her nephew, Jean-Alexandre Trogneux.

Macron, at the time Brigitte Auzière, taught literature at the Collège Lucie-Berger in Strasbourg in the 1980s.{{cite news|last1=Hartzer|first1=Renaud|title=Brigitte Macron a fait ses premiers pas en politique... en Alsace|url=http://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/grand-est/brigitte-macron-fait-ses-premiers-pas-politique-alsace-1249989.html|access-date=8 May 2017|work=France 3 Grand Est|date=8 May 2017}} By the 1990s, she was teaching French and Latin at Lycée la Providence, a Jesuit high school in Amiens. From 2007 to 2015, she taught at Lycée Saint-Louis de Gonzague,{{Cite web |date=2018-11-15 |title=Brigitte Macron |url=https://www.elysee.fr/en/brigitte-macron |access-date=2022-05-31 |website=elysee.fr |language=en}} in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, one of the most prestigious French private schools. At that institution, she was the French teacher of Frédéric and Jean Arnault, sons of French luxury business tycoon Bernard Arnault.{{cite web|title=Les petits secrets de la famille Arnault, propriétaire de LVMH.|url=https://www.capital.fr/entreprises-marches/les-petits-secrets-de-la-famille-arnault-proprietaire-de-lvmh-1219747|website=Capital.fr|language=fr|date=2017-04-05|access-date=2021-02-14}}

It was at the after-school drama club of Lycée la Providence where she and Emmanuel Macron first met.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/02/opinion/sex-and-the-french-elections.html|title=Sex and the French Elections|last=Druckerman|first=Pamela|date=2 February 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=12 April 2017|issn=0362-4331}} She was in charge of the after-school theater club he attended when he was 15 alongside her own daughter Laurence who was in his class.{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-election-macron-book-idUSKBN17E21X|title=France's Macron defied parental veto on schoolboy love affair with teacher|date=12 April 2017|work=Reuters|access-date=12 April 2017}} Their relationship has attracted controversy, as she is his senior by close to 25 years, and he was a minor; Macron has described it as "a love often clandestine, often hidden, misunderstood by many before imposing itself".{{cite news |last1=Sommerlad |first1=Joe |title=French parliamentary elections: Emmanuel Macron in profile |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/macron-french-parliamentary-elections-family-b2104885.html |work=The Independent |date=20 June 2022 |language=en}}

File:Arrival Ceremony - The Official State Visit of France (27831311468).jpg kisses Brigitte's hand during a state visit at the White House with U.S. president Donald Trump and Melania Trump in April 2018.]]

In 1989, Brigitte Macron (then Auzière) unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the city council of Truchtersheim. It was the only time she ran for office.

In 2017, Brigitte Macron played an active role in her husband's presidential campaign; a top adviser was quoted as saying that "her presence is essential for him".{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-04-07/the-singular-woman-behind-france-s-front-runner|title=The Singular Woman Behind France's Front-Runner|date=7 April 2017|work=Bloomberg.com|access-date=12 April 2017}} During his campaign, Emmanuel Macron stated that upon his winning of the French presidency, his wife would "have the role that she always had, she will not be hidden".{{Cite news|url=http://www.vogue.co.uk/article/brigitte-macron-style-analysis|title=How Brigitte Macron Is Redefining First Lady Dressing|last=Pithers|first=Ellie|work=British Vogue|access-date=12 April 2017|language=en-GB}}

He proposed creating an official "first lady" ({{lang|fr|première dame}}) title (as the spouse of the French president currently holds no official title) coming with their own staff, office and a personally allocated budget for their activities.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/06/emmanuel-macron-french-president-wife-first-lady-official-status|title=Emmanuel Macron under fire for plan to give wife 'first lady' role|last=Willsher|first=Kim|date=2017-08-06|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-09-08|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} Following Macron's election as president and his previously outspoken stance against nepotism,{{Cite web |last=Masters |first=James |date=2017-08-07 |title=Emmanuel Macron under fire over wife's 'First Lady' role |url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/07/europe/macron-polls-brigitte/index.html |access-date=2022-05-28 |website=CNN |language=en}} a petition against his proposal gathered more than 275,000 signatures, and the French government announced that Brigitte Macron would not hold the official title of "first lady" and would not be allocated an official budget.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/08/no-first-lady-title-for-brigitte-macron-after-petition-over-her-status|title=No 'first lady' title for Brigitte Macron after petition over her status|last=Willsher|first=Kim|date=2017-08-08|work=The Guardian|access-date=2017-08-17|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} In an interview with French magazine Elle, she stated that a soon-to-be published transparency charter would clarify her "role and accompanying resources", including the composition and size of her staff. This charter was published the following Friday.{{Cite news|url=http://www.france24.com/en/20170817-france-brigitte-macron-first-lady-status-title-emmanuel-macron-politics|title=Brigitte Macron: A 'first lady' in all but title – France 24|date=2017-08-17|work=France 24|access-date=2017-08-17|language=en-US}}

File:-G7Biarritz (48616787447).jpg]]

Macron's style of dress at international meetings has been a subject of commentary.{{Cite web |last=Julia |first=Avellaneda |date=2017-09-21 |title=Les jupes courtes de Brigitte Macron à New York divisent la presse internationale |url=https://madame.lefigaro.fr/style/les-tenues-minirobe-de-brigitte-macron-a-new-york-font-polemique-210917-134281 |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=Madame Figaro |language=fr}} The Financial Times described her style as similar to that of an "Essex girl".{{Cite web |date=2017-05-10 |title=Le Financial Times s'interroge sur le style "cagole" de Brigitte Macron |url=https://www.lexpress.fr/politique/le-financial-times-s-interroge-sur-le-style-cagole-de-brigitte-macron_1906881.html |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=L'Express |language=fr}} Close to Bernard Arnault's family, she was dressed for free by Louis Vuitton during her official outings, which created controversy.{{Cite web |title=Polémique : Brigitte Macron habillée gratuitement par LVMH |url=https://www.marieclaire.fr/,polemique-brigitte-macron-habillee-gratuitement-par-lvmh,848649.asp |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=Marie Claire |language=fr}}{{Cite web |date=2017-04-05 |title=Les petits secrets de la famille Arnault, propriétaire de LVMH. |url=https://www.capital.fr/entreprises-marches/les-petits-secrets-de-la-famille-arnault-proprietaire-de-lvmh-1219747 |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=Capital.fr |language=fr}}

In March 2018, the office of the Élysée Palace filed a complaint for identity theft after discovering that Brigitte Macron's name was being used to obtain preferential treatment in luxury establishments through a false email address. According to the office, the complaint was related to "a very clear attempt to harm [Brigitte Macron's] reputation".{{Cite web |date=2018-03-30 |title=Le cabinet de Brigitte Macron porte plainte pour « usurpation d'identité » |url=https://www.lepoint.fr/societe/le-cabinet-de-brigitte-macron-porte-plainte-pour-usurpation-d-identite-30-03-2018-2206757_23.php |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=Le Point |language=fr}} In October 2021, a 35-year-old man who claimed to be Brigitte Macron's nephew was sentenced to 30 months in prison, 18 of which were suspended, for identity theft, attempted fraud, and fraud as a repeat offender.{{Cite web |date=2021-10-26 |title=Le «faux neveu» de Brigitte Macron condamné à un an de prison ferme |url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/un-homme-juge-pour-s-etre-fait-passer-pour-le-neveu-de-brigitte-macron-20211026 |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=Le Figaro |language=fr}}

File:GJ (32170206268).jpg slogan (“Well, give them biofuel!”) targeting Brigitte Macron, in reference to a statement attributed to Marie-Antoinette]]

In August 2020, during the presidential couple's vacation at the Fort de Brégançon, yellow vest protesters gathered on a nearby beach and launched several inflatable lobsters, one of which bore insults directed at the "First Lady". On September 30, before the Toulon Criminal Court, one of the protesters was tried for "public insult to the President of the Republic" and "public insult and defamation of individual(s)". According to Var-Matin, the case was dismissed due to a procedural defect. Lawyer Juan Branco argued that an employee of the Élysée Palace filed the complaint without a mandate and in the absence of Brigitte Macron's signature, leading the court to accept the nullity plea based on the provisions of the law of July 29, 1881, on freedom of the press.{{Cite web |last=Leboucq |first=Fabien |title=Brigitte Macron a-t-elle perdu un procès en diffamation contre un gilet jaune ? |url=https://www.liberation.fr/checknews/2020/10/04/brigitte-macron-a-t-elle-perdu-un-proces-en-diffamation-contre-un-gilet-jaune_1801326/ |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=Libération |language=fr}}{{Cite web |last=rédaction |first=La |date=2020-09-30 |title=Le tribunal de Toulon annule une procédure visant un Gilet jaune pour "injures" envers Brigitte et Emmanuel Macron |url=https://www.varmatin.com/justice/le-tribunal-de-toulon-annule-une-procedure-visant-un-gilet-jaune-pour-injures-envers-brigitte-et-emmanuel-macron-580677 |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=Var-Matin |language=fr}}

On August 22, 2018, Thierry-Paul Valette filed a complaint against Brigitte Macron{{Cite web |date=2018-08-22 |title=Cet habitant de Lisieux dépose plainte contre Brigitte Macron |url=https://actu.fr/normandie/lisieux_14366/un-lexovien-depose-plainte-contre-brigitte-macron_18276379.html |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=actu.fr |language=fr}} at the Lisieux police station as part of the transparency charter. The grounds for the complaint were the offenses of passive influence peddling, passive corruption, and complicity in a passive conflict of interest by a person charged with a public service mission. The case was closed without further action in August 2019.{{Cite web |last=valette |first=thierry paul |date=2019-08-29 |title=Plainte contre Brigitte Macron classée sans suite |url=https://blogs.mediapart.fr/thierry-paul-valette/blog/290819/plainte-contre-brigitte-macron-classee-sans-suite |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=Mediapart |language=fr}}

Brigitte Macron's image has also been illegally exploited by several scammers online, who used it to sell and promote anti-wrinkle creams, falsely claiming she was the muse or creator of these products.{{Cite web |last=Djamshidi |first=Par Ava |date=2018-05-09 |title=Ces escrocs qui utilisent l'image de Brigitte Macron |url=https://www.leparisien.fr/politique/quand-brigitte-macron-inspire-des-escrocs-08-05-2018-7705365.php |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=leparisien.fr |language=fr-FR}}

On 22 June 1974, Brigitte married banker André-Louis Auzière (1951–2019),

{{cite web |author=Cédric Rémia |date=27 April 2017 |title=Qui est André-Louis Auzière, l'ex-mari de Brigitte Macron ? |url=https://www.programme-tv.net/news/evenement/election-presidentielle-2017/115248-qui-est-andre-louis-auziere-l-ex-mari-de-brigitte-macron/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325214447/https://www.programme-tv.net/news/evenement/election-presidentielle-2017/115248-qui-est-andre-louis-auziere-l-ex-mari-de-brigitte-macron/ |archive-date=25 March 2022 |access-date=16 April 2022 |website=Télé-Loisirs}}

{{cite web |author=Sophie des Déserts |date=7 October 2020 |title=Emmanuel Macron, son projet d'école, le décès de son père… Tiphaine Auzière se confie à Paris Match |url=https://www.parismatch.com/Actu/Politique/Emmanuel-Macron-le-deces-de-son-pere-son-engagement-Tiphaine-Auziere-se-confie-a-Paris-Match-1706371 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220416225936/https://www.parismatch.com/Actu/Politique/Emmanuel-Macron-le-deces-de-son-pere-son-engagement-Tiphaine-Auziere-se-confie-a-Paris-Match-1706371 |archive-date=16 April 2022 |access-date=16 April 2022 |website=Paris Match}}. with whom she had three children (Sébastien, born 1975; Laurence, born 1977; and Tiphaine, born 1984). They resided in Truchtersheim until 1991, when they moved to Amiens. In 1993, at the age of 39, she met the 15-year-old Emmanuel Macron in La Providence High School,{{cite web |last1=Roberts |first1=Rachel |title=How Emmanuel Macron's parents discovered their son was dating his 40-year-old teacher |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/emmanuel-macron-parents-how-discovered-affair-drama-teacher-brigitte-trogneux-dating-french-president-election-win-a7724201.html |website=Independent |access-date=7 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213073133/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/emmanuel-macron-parents-how-discovered-affair-drama-teacher-brigitte-trogneux-dating-french-president-election-win-a7724201.html |archive-date=13 December 2024 |date=23 April 2018 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=France's First Lady Brigitte Macron Opens Up About Her Marriage To Much-Younger Emmanuel Macron |url=https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/frances-first-lady-brigitte-macron-opens-up-about-her-marriage-to-much-younger-emmanuel-macron-4584324 |website=NDTV |access-date=7 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240311000524/https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/frances-first-lady-brigitte-macron-opens-up-about-her-marriage-to-much-younger-emmanuel-macron-4584324 |archive-date=11 March 2024 |date=18 November 2023 |url-status=live}} where she was a teacher and he was a student and a classmate of her daughter.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/relationships/macron-affair-french-presidential-candidates-parents-discovered/|title=The Macron affair: How the French election winner's parents discovered he was dating his teacher|last=Fulda|first=Anne|date=2018-07-17|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2019-08-27|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}} Brigitte divorced Auzière in January 2006 and married Macron on 20 October 2007.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cosmopolis.ch/english/politics/e0016900/emmanuel_macron_e01690000000000.htm|title=Emmanuel Macron the new French minister of the economy|last=Gerber|first=Louis|website=www.cosmopolis.ch|access-date=12 April 2017}}[http://www.leparisien.fr/laparisienne/actu-people/personnalites/video-les-images-du-mariage-d-emmanuel-macron-et-de-brigitte-trogneux-diffusees-22-11-2016-6360852.php VIDEO. Les images du mariage d'Emmanuel Macron temps de Brigitte Trogneux diffusées]. Le Parisien (22 November 2016).

• {{flag|Denmark}}:
• Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog (28 August 2018){{cite web |title=Modtagere af danske dekorationer |url=https://www.kongehuset.dk/monarkiet-i-danmark/ordener-og-medaljer/modtagere-af-danske-dekorationer/#oversigt-over-modtagere-af-danske-dekorationer |access-date=9 November 2023}}
• Grand Cross with Breast Star in Diamonds of the Order of the Dannebrog (31 March 2025){{Cite tweet |author=ChristinZ|user=ChristinsQueens |number=1906736369616986134 |title= During the official welcome at the Élysée Palace in Paris, an exchange of orders took place.}}
• {{flag|Italy}}: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (1 July 2021)[https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/368179 Quirinale website]
• {{flag|Ivory Coast}}: Commander of the Order of the Ivory Coast (21 December 2019){{cite web |title=Le président Emmanuel Macron élevé dans la dignité de grand croix de l'ordre national |url=https://www.pressecotedivoire.ci/article/4515-le-president-emmanuel-macron-eleve-dans-la-dignite-de-grand-croix-de-lordre-national |access-date=9 November 2023}}
• {{flag|Sweden}}: Member Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star (30 January 2024){{cite web |url=https://www.kungahuset.se/arkiv/nyheter/2024-01-30-statsbesok-fran-frankrike/ |title=Statsbesök från Frankrike |date=30 January 2024 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240130104034/https://www.kungahuset.se/arkiv/nyheter/2024-01-30-statsbesok-fran-frankrike/ |archive-date=30 January 2024}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons}}

• {{in lang|fr}} [https://www.elysee.fr/emmanuel-macron/2017/08/21/charte-de-transparence-relative-au-statut-du-conjoint-du-chef-de-letat Charte de transparence relative au statut du conjoint du Chef de l’État], Presidency of the French Republic, 2017

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{{Current consorts of sovereigns}}

{{Emmanuel Macron}}

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Category:1953 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Amiens

Brigitte

Category:French schoolteachers

Category:Spouses of presidents of France

Brigitte

Category:20th-century French educators

Category:21st-century French educators

Category:20th-century French women

Category:21st-century French women