Brigitte Macron, born Brigitte Marie-Claude Trogneux on April 13, 1953, in Amiens, France, is the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron. A former teacher, she has served as the unofficial First Lady of France since May 14, 2017.
Early Life and Background
Brigitte is the youngest of six children born to Simone and Jean Trogneux, owners of the renowned Chocolaterie Trogneux in Amiens, a family business dating back to 1872. Her upbringing was rooted in this entrepreneurial and historic setting.
Educational Career
Brigitte taught literature at Collège Lucie-Berger in Strasbourg in the 1980s, later teaching French and Latin at Lycée la Providence in Amiens. From 2007 to 2015, she taught at Paris’s elite Lycée Saint-Louis de Gonzague, where she was the teacher of Bernard Arnault’s sons.
Relationship with Emmanuel Macron
Brigitte met Emmanuel Macron when he was 15 and a student at Lycée la Providence, where she supervised the school drama club. Their relationship began while she was still married, causing significant public controversy due to their age gap of nearly 25 years. She divorced her husband in 2006 and married Emmanuel Macron in 2007.
Role as Spouse of the President
Brigitte played a pivotal role in Macron’s 2017 presidential campaign. Though Macron proposed giving her an official “First Lady” title, public backlash resulted in the publication of a transparency charter instead. She maintains a public presence and advisory role without an official title or state budget.
Public Image and Media Scrutiny
Brigitte’s fashion choices have drawn international attention and occasional criticism. Her close ties to Bernard Arnault led to controversy over receiving free Louis Vuitton outfits for official appearances.
She has also faced identity theft, including a 2018 complaint about fraudulent use of her name and a 2021 conviction of an impersonator. Additionally, she was targeted by Yellow Vest protesters in 2020 and featured in fake ads for anti-aging products.
Personal Life
Before marrying Macron, Brigitte was married to banker André-Louis Auzière and had three children: Sébastien, Laurence, and Tiphaine. The family moved from Truchtersheim to Amiens in 1991, shortly before her relationship with Emmanuel began.
International Recognition
Brigitte Macron has received several foreign honors:
- Denmark: Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog (2018, 2025)
- Italy: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (2021)
- Ivory Coast: Commander of the Order (2019)
- Sweden: Member Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star (2024)
Recent Controversy in Vietnam
On May 26, 2025, a video surfaced appearing to show Brigitte playfully pushing President Macron during a diplomatic visit to Vietnam.
The moment, captured as the couple exited a plane, was dismissed by officials as light-hearted and affectionate. The incident drew media attention but was not formally addressed by either party.