French President-elect's wife Brigitte Macron - more than just a wife

Overcoming all prejudices, Brigitte Macron quietly helped her young husband Emmanuel Macron to reach the pinnacle of fame.

» 5 unknown things about the new first lady of the French President

An “unconventional” French first lady?

Overcoming all prejudices when a teacher marries a student 24 years younger than her, it seems that Brigitte Macron has never felt shy about what society might consider "abnormal" about her marriage with her famous husband.

French President-elect Brigitte Macron's wife. (Photo: Getty Images/AFP)

Perhaps, the scrutiny and malicious sarcasm will penetrate deeper into this woman's private life when her husband, Emmanuel Macron, takes over as President of France.

According toFrance 24, in Mr. Macron's "miraculous rise" during the election campaign, Ms. Brigitte played a significant role. During the election campaign, she was the person who managed Mr. Macron's agenda, edited his speeches and gave him advice on public speaking.

At present, in a country where the role of First Lady is not considered official and First Ladies often stay away from public events, Brigitte Macron is expected to change that trend and play an active role in Mr. Macron's newly turned political career.

Mr. Macron announced that in his first week as President, he would propose giving the position of First Lady an official title and his wife, Ms. Trogneux, would have a weighty voice in the true sense of a First Lady.

“She will have a place, she will have a voice there, she will have the right to express her opinion on everything, she will be by my side as she has always been, but she will also play a role as a public figure,” the newly elected French president stressed.

“You can't escape me”

Born on April 13, 1953, Brigitte Trogneux was the youngest child in a well-off family of six children in the city of Amiens, northern France.

The love that defies prejudice between Mr. Emmanuel Macron and Ms. Brigitte Trogneux. (Photo: AFP)

Brigitte Trogneux first met Macron at La Providence Jesuit High School in 1993. Before meeting Macron, she had a steady job teaching French literature, Latin and drama at a high school. She was married to Andre Louis Auziere, a banker, and had three children when Macron was 15.

Macron took part in a play under Trogneux's direction. A year later, the two rewrote a play together and their relationship blossomed.

“Little by little, I was completely overcome by the intelligence of this young man,” Ms. Trogneux recalled on a France3 TV program.

When rumors of Brigitte's relationship with her student Macron leaked and spread, Macron's parents moved him to Paris to attend the Lycee Henri IV with the main purpose of separating the two.

According to Macron's biographer, he told Trogneux: “You will not escape me. I will come back and marry you.”

The couple married 12 years later, in 2007.

"When married, follow your husband"

Both were relatively unknown before Mr. Macron was appointed Minister of Economy in the administration of French President Francois Hollande in August 2014. A year after her husband was promoted, Brigitte Macron gave up her teaching job to wholeheartedly support her ambitious young husband.

When Mr. Macron took on the position of Minister of Economy, people often saw Ms. Brigitte Macron appearing with her husband in meetings with officials as well as at major events.

“Every night, we review and repeat to each other what we have heard about each other. I have to focus on everything, do everything I can to protect him,” Brigitte Macron shared about her life with Paris Match.

Mr Macron has also always appreciated his strong support system. “My life is here, you cannot do your job well if you are not happy,” Macron said in his last meeting with staff after he resigned as economy minister in September 2016 to prepare for the presidential race.

“The Unusual Couple”

Since Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron became the center of public attention, most of the media has focused on satirizing the age difference of their relationship. Meanwhile, Macron's supporters say that those who mock Macron's relationship do not understand love.

Newly elected French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife do not hesitate to show affection. (Photo: AFP)

Despite the criticism, Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron have not been shy about showing their affection in public and in fact, Macron has publicly portrayed his wife as “an indispensable assistant” throughout the election campaign.

In the documentary, released in November 2016, just days after Macron announced his candidacy, the couple shared footage of Macron in the high school play where they met and their wedding.

“Thank you for accepting us, a not-quite-normal couple,” Macron said at the wedding, which was attended by Trogneux’s children. Macron was nearly 30 and Trogneux was 54.

Trogneux, meanwhile, has always been humorous about their “mismatched” relationship, once saying that if Macron wants to run for president, he should do it soon while her beauty is still there.

“He needs to win the election in 2017 because in 2022 (the year of the next French presidential election), his problem will be my old face,” Brigitte Macron shared in the book titled “Emmanuel Macron en marche vers l'Élysée”.

Brigitte Macron was once again in the spotlight when Mr Macron delivered his victory speech in the first round of the French presidential election two weeks ago. At that time, the young politician brought his beloved wife on stage to say thank you from the bottom of his heart.

“Brigitte has always been present with me and even more so, without her I would not be me,” Macron emotionally shared while supporters shouted her name./.

According to VOV