Brigitte Macron reflects on her decade as France’s First Lady, describing it as an intense period that exposed her to the world’s stupidity and wickedness, leaving her sadder and more cynical.
Intense Reflections from the First Lady
The 73-year-old former drama teacher, who stood by her husband Emmanuel Macron’s side during his nearly decade-long presidency, shared her thoughts in an interview with La Tribune Dimanche. “Before, I had a normal life, children, a job, ups and downs, like everyone else,” she stated. “Here, these 10 years have passed so quickly. They have been so intense. I have seen the darkness of the world, stupidity, wickedness. It’s sometimes difficult for me to see the blue sky. I have moments of pessimism that I didn’t have before.”
Confronting Baseless Conspiracy Theories
Since taking on the highly visible role in 2017, Brigitte Macron has faced intense public scrutiny, including outlandish claims questioning her gender. Right-wing U.S. podcaster Candace Owens repeatedly alleged that Brigitte Macron is a transgender woman, staking her “entire professional reputation” on the claim in 2024.
These assertions originated from a December 2021 YouTube video featuring clairvoyant Amandine Roy, 53, and blogger Natacha Rey, 49, who falsely claimed Brigitte was born as a boy named Jean-Michel Trogneux in 1953—a name belonging to her brother. Brigitte Macron, née Brigitte Trogneux before her first marriage, has endured these fringe theories.
The damaging accusations prompted the Macrons to file a lawsuit against Owens in the U.S. in 2025, accusing her of spreading “outlandish, defamatory, and far-fetched fictions.”
Scrutiny Over Personal Life and Marriage
The couple’s relationship has drawn significant attention due to its unconventional origins. In 1992, Emmanuel Macron, then a schoolboy at La Providence high school in Amiens, developed feelings for his 40-year-old drama teacher, Brigitte Auzière, who was married with three children.
Brigitte Macron later acknowledged the challenges: being romantically linked “with such a young boy was crippling,” particularly in their close-knit Roman Catholic community. She noted the rumors her son and two daughters—one a classmate of young Emmanuel—faced, adding, “You can imagine what they were hearing. But I didn’t want to miss out on my life.” The pair married in 2007, a decade before Emmanuel Macron’s surprise presidential victory as an independent candidate.
Vietnam Incident Sparks Debate
In May 2025, footage from Hanoi captured a tense moment as the French President’s plane door opened. Brigitte Macron’s arms appeared from the left, placing both hands on her husband’s face and shoving it. Emmanuel Macron appeared startled but quickly recovered to wave.
Brigitte remained partially concealed, and the couple descended the staircase without linking arms for the official welcome. Macron’s office initially questioned the footage’s authenticity before confirming it. Officials described the exchange as a lighthearted “squabble” or moment of closeness.
“It was a moment when the president and his wife were relaxing one last time before the start of the trip by having a laugh,” one Élysée official stated. Another source called it “decompressing… by joking around,” adding, “It’s a moment of togetherness. No more was needed to feed the mills of the conspiracy theorists.”
