Bayeux mania peaks as 1,000-year-old tapestry exhibition opens in London

Key Points:

• The British Museum's Bayeux Tapestry exhibition, showcasing the 1,000-year-old embroidery depicting the Norman invasion of England in 1066, opened to the public and quickly sold out, generating £2.5 million in ticket sales.
• The tapestry, on display in London for the first time since the 11th century, is housed in a bespoke glass case with visitors given 40 minutes to view it from an elevated platform and then examine the stitching up close.
• Visitors expressed amazement at the vivid colors and intricate detail of the 70-metre-long tapestry, which is believed to have been sewn by English seamstresses before being taken to France.
• The exhibition has sparked widespread enthusiasm in Britain, including themed events and media coverage, with King Charles and French President Emmanuel Macron attending a private viewing to celebrate the artwork.
• The tapestry is on loan from France while its usual home is refurbished, with a reciprocal loan of England's Sutton Hoo collection to French museums planned.