France to loan legendary tapestry to UK

Chinese tourists have been drawn to the United Kingdom in increasingly large numbers in recent years and they will soon have one more reason to visit - the legendary 11th century Bayeux Tapestry.

French President Emmanuel Macron has agreed that his country will loan the epic work of art to Britain. It will be the first time it has left France for 950 years. Macron was expected to confirm the details on Thursday during a meeting with UK Prime Minister Theresa May.

May welcomed the gesture during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, saying: "I think it is very significant that the Bayeux Tapestry is going to be coming to the United Kingdom and people are going to be able to see this."

The Telegraph reported the tapestry will go on show at the British Museum, probably in 2022, after curators finalize details with their French colleagues.

The museum, which has a new Gallery of China and South Asia that was opened by Queen Elizabeth in early November, is already a major draw among the 250,000 Chinese tourists who visit the UK each year.

The paper quoted Hartwig Fischer, director of the British Museum, as saying he would be "honored and delighted" to display the tapestry. Fischer hailed France's offer as "a gesture of extraordinary generosity".

However, Antoine Verney, director of the Bayeux Museum, cautioned during a meeting with journalists that "nothing is set in stone".

The Daily Mail reported Verney had said the feasibility of the loan would be explored in the coming years.