Emmanuel Macron criticised for ‘casual’ attire at Queen’s funeral. According to local media, French President Emmanuel Macron, who visited London to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, was chastised for his choice of clothes.
Macron and his wife Brigitte paid a visit to Westminster Hall on Sunday, a day before the funeral of the British monarch. During the visit, the 44-year-old wore a casual blue blazer, sunglasses, and navy blue trainers instead of his regular formal suit and black leather shoes. Brigitte was also dressed in a similar style.
The president’s decision to wear what a French talk programme described as “streetwear” sparked criticism on social media and spread misconceptions that he had violated the traditional dress code for the funeral. The trainers, which are purportedly by French luxury brand J.M. Weston and cost 570 euros, also drew eyebrows.
Trouble afoot?
French President Emmanuel Macron’s choice of footwear during his trip to London ahead of the queen’s funeral caused an outpouring of commentary — and disinformation — onlinehttps://t.co/Mbmk0mpkXl pic.twitter.com/1EwVmSyWwy
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) September 20, 2022
While the host of the French talk show radio channel RMC insisted on a “dress code to follow,” the national daily Le Figaro referred to Macron’s shoes as “trainers of strife.”
However, according to the British newspaper The Independent, the French president, and his wife were attempting to take an “incognito” stroll to observe the mourners who had assembled to pay tribute to the Queen.
Emmanuel Macron criticised for ‘casual’ attire at Queen’s funeral
Thousands of people had gathered outside Westminster Hall in London to honor Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving British monarch, who died on September 8 in Scotland’s Balmoral Castle. She had been lying in state at the hall for the previous four days.
In a video, Macron and Brigette are seen walking among the public who had gathered outside the hall, followed by advisers and security.
“Emmanuel Macron incognito is possibly the least incognito person I’ve ever seen,” observed a Twitter user, who shared a video showing the President speaking to a reporter in French.
Later, the president and his wife changed into all-black formal attire, the president in a suit and his wife in a dress, a long coat with gold buttons, and a netted veil. They exchanged silent glances towards the Queen before bowing gently and going away arm in arm.
Macron stated on Sept. 8 in response to the Queen’s death that she had personified the “continuity and solidarity” of the British countryside for more than 70 years.
“I remember her as a friend of France, a kind-hearted queen who left a lasting mark on her country and her century,” he tweeted.
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II at her lying-in-state in Westminster Hall. pic.twitter.com/kaMtBviwXI
— The Royal Family Channel (@RoyalFamilyITNP) September 18, 2022
