Extract from ABC News
The Bayeux Tapestry has been transported to London. (Reuters: Charles Platiau)
In short:
The Bayeux Tapestry, the 11th-century artwork depicting the Norman conquest of England, has been transported to London in a secret night-time operation.
It marks the first time the artwork, on loan from France, has been in Britain in almost 1,000 years.
What's next?
The tapestry will undergo condition checks ahead of its exhibition at the British Museum in September.
The Bayeux Tapestry has arrived in Britain for the first time in nearly 1,000 years, travelling under police escort during a meticulously choreographed journey from France.
The secret night-time operation was the result of years of negotiations, tricky logistical planning and multiple technical studies to ensure the integrity of the medieval artwork.
Fears for the safety of the lace-like tapestry — which has been insured by the British government for an eye-watering £800 million ($1.5 billion) — meant that the date and details of the transfer were kept under wraps until the last moment.
The 68-metre artwork, which chronicles scenes from the 1066 Battle of Hastings and the start of the Norman Conquest of England, was held in a shock-proof and temperature controlled case to protect the delicate embroidery.
A portion of the tapestry depicts an interaction between Edward the Confessor and Harold II of England. (Wikicommons)
The truck carrying the tapestry left its home in northern France on Thursday night, local time, and travelled on the Eurotunnel before arriving at London's British Museum just before 3am Friday.
The transfer was made possible by what the French government described as "unprecedented logistical and security means", developed over more than a year by the two governments.
The medieval masterpiece, believed to have been made by English embroiderers, has already generated nearly £2.5 million ($4.8m) in ticket sales, making it the museum's best-selling exhibition.
The transfer came after two test trips with a full-sized reproduction of the tapestry. (AP: Kwiyeon Ha)
France confirmed the loan last July during President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Britain as a guest of King Charles.
The transfer of the cultural treasure is seen as a symbol of closer ties between the countries after the discord caused by Britain's 2016 vote to leave the European Union.
"This ... is a gesture of trust, a tangible expression of a long-standing friendship and a sign of our shared desire to see France and the United Kingdom build their future together," Mr Macron wrote in the Times newspaper.
The tapestry itself is the product of an earlier period of Anglo-French rivalry, embroidered in the years after William the Conqueror, backed by a Norman army, seized the English throne.
"Make no mistake — this is an historic moment and a significant act of friendship as we welcome this iconic historical tapestry back to Britain," British culture minister Lisa Nandy said in a statement released by the museum.
"Watching the tapestry arrive at the museum is a moment I will never forget," British Museum director Nicholas Cullinan said in the statement.
The tapestry will undergo condition checks before being installed within a custom-built showcase ahead of the exhibition's September 10 opening.
The exhibition will run until July 2027.
Reuters/AFP
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