During his state visit to the United Kingdom, President Emmanuel Macron drew attention for winking at Crown Princess Kate Middleton during the state banquet. On July 8 (local time), at the state banquet hosted by King Charles III at Windsor Castle, President Macron was seated right next to Princess Middleton. After the glasses of all attendees were filled, he toasted with Princess Middleton and gave her a wink.
French media reported that the French head of state surprised many by showing an unexpectedly intimate gesture toward Princess Middleton.
On the 8th, French President Emmanuel Macron, who arrived at a British Air Force base, greeted by kissing the back of the hand of Crown Princess Kate Middleton (left). On the same day (local time) at the British state banquet, President Macron winked while toasting with Crown Princess Kate Middleton. /AFP, Reuters Yonhap News Photo
This scene quickly spread online and sparked a variety of reactions. Some viewed President Macron's wink as "an expression of French ease" and saw nothing wrong with it, while others referenced the incident at the end of May when Brigitte Macron slapped his face just before disembarking from their private jet in Vietnam, joking that "he might get slapped again" over the photo of his wink.
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Macron Gets Slapped... Marital Spat? on the Private Jet
On May 25, Emmanuel Macron (inside the circle), the President of France, arriving in Hanoi, Vietnam by private jet, is seen with his face being forcefully pushed by his spouse, Brigitte Macron. /AP Yonhap News Photo by XXX
Earlier, in May, during his Southeast Asia tour, President Macron was caught on camera appearing to be slapped in the face by his wife, Brigitte, while on their private jet. The incident occurred on the night of May 25, when the Macron couple arrived at Hanoi Airport in Vietnam, their first destination, by private jet. As the plane door opened, a red-clad arm reached out toward President Macron, who was talking to someone nearby, and forcefully pushed his face.
President Macron, looking startled, waved to the press and quickly ducked back inside the jet to avoid the cameras. A moment later, he reappeared, followed by Brigitte Macron in a red jacket.
As the video spread, rumors circulated on social media about a marital spat or discord. Comments mocking President Macron as a "husband who gets hit" or a "student who gets hit" also appeared. In response, the French presidential office explained, "It was a moment of playful teasing between the president and his wife before the official schedule began-a moment of intimacy," denying the rumors of a marital fight. As speculation mounted, President Macron also expressed his frustration, saying, "I was just playing around with my wife. All sorts of ridiculous stories are being made up from a single video."
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Arm-in-Arm and a Cheek Kiss... 'Affectionate Shot' Two Days After the Slap Incident
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron are seen arriving at Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport in Jakarta, Indonesia, on May 27, stepping off the plane (left). On May 28, Brigitte Macron is seen kissing President Macron on the cheek at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia. /AFP Yonhap News
Two days later, the Macron couple presented a much more affectionate scene at an Indonesian airport. Media outlets reported that, on the afternoon of May 27, when the couple arrived in Jakarta, Indonesia, they stepped off the plane in a completely different mood compared to their arrival in Hanoi, Vietnam, on May 25. As the plane door opened, President Macron appeared alone at the entrance, turned toward the interior out of sight of the cameras, and extended his right arm. Brigitte Macron then naturally appeared, linking her arm with his, and the two descended the stairs together.
Perhaps conscious of the controversy at the Vietnamese airport, Brigitte Macron also kissed President Macron on the cheek during official events in Indonesia, with the couple frequently displaying affectionate gestures.
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Mocked as "a Husband Who Gets Hit," and Again... 'Hand Passing' by Brigitte Caught on Camera
The footage from their arrival in the UK on July 8 also stirred up chatter. As President Macron extended his hand to escort Brigitte Macron, who was descending the steps of their private jet to meet Prince William and Princess Kate, Brigitte held onto the stair railing and ignored the president's outstretched hand, walking past him.
The New York Post reported, "After greeting Prince William and Princess Kate, President Macron and Brigitte got into a car. Brigitte did not respond to the president's words in the car and kept looking at her phone."
A Love Story Surpassing a 25-Year Age Gap... The President and First Lady Who Defied the Odds
In 2017, Macron became the youngest president in French history at age 39. He first met Brigitte, then a 40-year-old literature and theater teacher, while attending high school in Amiens. Macron's parents, hoping to separate the couple, sent their son to study in Paris, as Brigitte was a married woman with three children at the time. However, their relationship endured. In 2007, a year after Brigitte divorced her former husband, the two were married.
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