Bayeux Tapestry in 'wonderful state' at British Museum after arriving in UK for first time in nearly 1,000 years

Published: 21:45, 17 July 2026 | Updated: 21:55, 17 July 2026 The Bayeux Tapestry is in a 'wonderful state', the French Culture Minister said after viewing it in the British Museum for the first time.  The medieval artwork arrived in London following a hugely complicated journey across the Channel from its home in France a week ago - marking its first visit to the UK in nearly 1,000 years.  Today, the tapestry, which depicts the events leading up to 1066 and the Norman Conquest, was rigorously checked over by Catherine Pégard, France's Culture Minister, and former Chancellor George Osborne, the current chair of the British Museum.  Ms Pégard said the tapestry looked to be in a 'wonderful state', adding: 'We can see that all the precautions have been taken… I believe that it will reassure all the sceptics'.  There had been some concern from French cultural figures who had opposed the loan, arguing that moving the 11th century tapestry was too risky.  But both Mr Osborne and Ms Pégard seemed satisfied, with the former praising the 'French and British experts' who had pulled off the dramatic transportation of the 70-metre-long embroidery.  Mr Osborne said: 'They have done an amazing job in transporting this very very delicate item across the Channel and unfurling it here for us. 'It's our responsibility, this generation's responsibility, to do what previous generations have done, which is look after this tapestry so it's there for all time'. French Culture Minister Catherine Pégard (centre) said the tapestry was in a 'wonderful state' on Friday  She was joined by former Chancellor and current chair of the British Museum, George Osborne as the pair examined the historic artwork on site  On Thursday, there had been an anxious wait of 18 hours as teams of British and French conservators and British Museum staff unravelled the 224ft artwork.  It had been concertinaed in a folding stand and surrounded by protective mattress-type padding while it travelled 350 miles during an 11-hour, police-escorted journey.  Now, the British Museum will be its home for the next year. The public will be able to visit it from September 10 until July 11, 2027.  Professor Michael Lewis, the curator of the museum's Bayeux Tapestry exhibition, told the BBC: 'There is no evidence that there is any damage to the tapestry whatsoever.  'It has travelled really well.'  The tapestry's arrival has been a hugely-anticipated public homecoming for a vivid visual record of the 1066 Norman invasion, the last successful conquest of England.  While its exact origins are shrouded in mystery, the tapestry depicting the Battle of Hastings and start of the invasion by William the Conqueror's Norman army is widely thought to have been made in England before being transferred to Bayeux. It is believed to be the first time the fragile 224ft embroidered tapestry has left France since then, and the first time it has been moved in over 40 years. A section of the Bayeux Tapestry. The historic relic will return to English soil for the first time in almost 1,000 years in September French workers and volunteers, prepare to pack the Bayeux Tapestry in a crate for transfer to the British Museum Some 100,000 tickets have already been sold to the public for the first four months of the exhibition at the British Museum, with some comparing it to trying to get tickets to Glastonbury.  The date and details of the move were kept secret until the departure of the tapestry, which was led by a police escort as it made its way through London in the dead of night. French president Emmanuel Macron, who announced the historic loan last year, hailed the transfer as a celebration of Franco-British relations. Writing in The Times, Mr Macron said the loan was a 'tangible expression of long-standing friendship and a sign of our shared desire to see France and the United Kingdom build their future together'. He said the two nations recognise what sets each other apart, but also 'their natural affinity and what they can achieve when they join forces'. In return for the Bayeux Tapestry, the British Museum will loan treasures from the Sutton Hoo hoard - artefacts from a 7th century Anglo Saxon ship burial - and other items to museums in Normandy. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: 'Make no mistake – this is an historic moment and a significant act of friendship as we welcome this iconic historical tapestry back to Britain for the first time in almost 1,000 years. 'This exhibition is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn about this pivotal period in our national story and our shared heritage and friendship with France, which endures to the present day. I'm delighted to welcome this tapestry back onto British shores.' The transfer - funded by Britain - is the result of over a year of planning and technical studies, including two test trips with a full-scale reproduction of the lace-like linen tapestry. Last September, conservators completed a tricky operation to move the tapestry from its museum in north-western Normandy, to a secret storage location. Plans to loan it to London had been considered twice before: in 1953 for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and in 1966 for the 900th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings.