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The Sun
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
How Brigitte Macron fell for ‘crazy boy' in daughter's class as kids reveal why they backed her… & slam ‘born male' slur
WHEN Brigitte Macron first fell for the French President she was his teacher - and he was a schoolboy in the same class as her daughter. Their affair sparked a huge scandal and even now, decades later, an army of vicious trolls and conspiracy theorists are still set on making her life hell. 13 13 13 13 A torrent of fresh online abuse has ramped up in recent days following a shock court ruling in which judges made the startling decision to allow outlandish claims that Brigitte, 72, was "born a man" and had "sexually abused" her future husband when he was a boy. Brigitte and her husband, President Emmanuel, 47, have been forced to defend the wicked slurs. Their marriage was already under pressure as the First Lady was recently seen appearing to ignore - and even shoving - her husband. But the couple had hoped the end of this long-running and increasingly bitter legal wrangle would finally bring a close to the years of torment they have endured. Instead the new ruling this week led to a fresh wave of hate, and sources say Madame Macron is "absolutely devastated". The Paris Appeal Court sensationally cleared two of her biggest critics - Amandine Roy, a 53-year-old clairvoyant, and blogger Natacha Rey, 49. The pair had posted a video on YouTube in December 2021 making a series of poisonous claims which led to them initially being found guilty of libel when Brigitte first took action against them. But the pair fought back and won their latest challenge, with the court deciding the claims were "made in good faith" and were already in the public domain. Throughout the agonising ordeal, Brigitte has had the loyal support of the three children she shares with her first husband, banker André-Louis Auzière, who died in 2019. Her daughter Tiphaine furiously laid into the women at the centre of the row, who claimed that her mother was a trans woman whose name at birth was Jean-Michel - the name of Brigitte's brother. 13 13 Tiphaine said at the time: 'I don't feel any pain, just anger at the misinformation. "I worry about the level of society when I hear what is circulating on social networks about my mother being a man. 'Anyone can say anything about anyone, and it takes time to get it withdrawn.' Tiphaine likened her mum's fight for justice to Kate Middleton 's brave cancer battle when arguing she was right to use the law to challenge the relentless onslaught of online misinformation about her. Last year Tiphaine praised the way Kate had handled intense pressure from the public to reveal the reason she underwent surgery. I worry about the level of society when I hear what is circulating on social networks about my mother being a man Tiphaine Auziere Tiphaine said: "You have the really clear victims like my mother and the Princess of Wales, and then you have others who have been whipped up and muddled by the misinformation. "I was so incredibly touched by Kate's video. I found it so moving. "There she is, asking people to leave her alone so that she can get on with her medical treatment in peace. 'But it really touched me. I thought she was so brave to do that. Because in the end she was forced to do it; there was so much pressure. "This, despite her having so many more important things to think about, yet everything was polluted with fake news, each piece of misinformation worse than the one before." Colourful love life The age gap between Brigitte and her second husband continues to raise eyebrows, but Tiphaine, 41, has a pretty colourful love life of her own. It emerged in March that she is allegedly dating a "bearded bad boy" who blames her stepfather for axing his controversial TV show that peddled conspiracy theories. Tiphaine's rumoured lover, Cyril Hanouna, 50, is the former host of Don't Touch My TV Set, a sensationalist hard right talk show which was cancelled earlier this year. But Hanouna, whose nickname is Baba, railed against Macron after the French media watchdog Arcom decided not to renew the licence for Channel C8, which broadcast his shock-jock show. 13 13 Some cynical commentators have even suggested he is only dating Tiphaine out of a desire for revenge. News of the couple's whirlwind romance is said to have shocked the Presidential Palace. Tiphaine, a lawyer and writer, is the mother of two children, aged eight and nine, with consultant physician Antoine Choteau, although it is thought the couple broke things off in January this year. La Pointe magazine said the timing of the romance was too suspicious for it to be authentic, and quoted a source close to Hanouna, who cast doubt on the relationship after they were spotted at a restaurant together. They said: "There are no revealing photos in the report. And frankly, Cyril very often invites certain members of the team to dinner in the evening, after the show, it's his habit. It's nothing new." Another source pointed out that the pair left the restaurant separately and said that the TV personality seemed "more intent on eating his pasta" than showing any signs of affection to his date. Users on social media have also floated the theory that the entire relationship was made up to distract viewers' attention away from a newly-released 2023 recording of Cyril allegedly insulting and threatening violence towards a columnist on his show. The show had already come under fire for homophobia, racial insults and out of control political brawls. Scandalous affair 13 13 13 Back in 1974, long before any of today's controversies, Brigitte married Tiphaine's father. At first Brigitte appeared to be every inch the picture perfect wife and mother, with three children and a prestigious job at a local private school. But their idyllic family life was blown apart when she had a scandalous affair with a pupil. Her children - Laurence, now a cardiologist, Sebastian, an engineer, and Tiphaine - had their life rocked to the core when Brigitte, then a literature teacher at La Providence school in the city of Amiens, fell for Emmanuel. She was 42 and he was just 15 years old. They met when he was a member of her French and Latin classes and grew closer when Emmanuel joined Brigitte's drama club. Tiphaine was just nine years old when she made the startling discovery that her mother was having a fling with a schoolboy. She recalled Laurence coming home from school one day and announcing: "Mummy, there is a crazy boy in our class who knows everything about everything." Brigitte was said to be instantly captivated by that boy's "exceptional intelligence". She gushed that Emmanuel was so gifted that it was as though "I was working with Mozart". Instantly captivated But it was a tough time for the kids - Tiphaine later revealed how she had to endure judgement and "backbiting" as news of the scandalous romance spread like wildfire around their local community. She recalled: "The attacks, the backbiting, the judgements. It was not yet the era of social networks, but we were in a small provincial town. Everything is known." Years later Paris Match magazine reported: "Young Emmanuel often rang the bell at the Auzière home and the rumours grew. "Rumours which naturally had an impact on the three children of the household." In a bid to quash the budding romance, Emmanuel's alarmed parents took drastic action. He was sent away to study in Paris by his concerned parents – both doctors – but he always told Brigitte: "Whatever you do, I will marry you." The couple finally wed in 2007, a decade before Mr Macron sensationally came from nowhere to win the French presidency as an independent candidate. His sexuality became an attack point for political enemies, with some claiming his wife was a "cover" for a secret gay life. Brigitte revealed in November 2023 that she had put off marrying Emmanuel for ten years out of concern for her children, adding that she suspected he would 'fall in love with someone his own age". 'The only obstacle was my children,' she told Paris Match. 'I took time so I would not wreck their lives. That lasted 10 years, the time to put them on the rails. "You can imagine what they were hearing. But I didn't want to miss out on my life.' But Tiphaine has never held a grudge against her mother or stepfather for their age gap relationship. She said previously: 'A family break-up can be both a heartbreak and an opportunity. Mixing families together can be enriching. "I have an adored mother and stepfather."
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Insider reveals Brigitte Macron's secret turmoil over claims she was born a man - and the battle against trolls and conspiracy theorists that has driven her to despair
French first lady Brigitte Macron was always renowned for her decorum and grace at the many high profile public appearances which come with the role. . But lately she has made a number of missteps - being seen apparently ignoring and even slapping her President husband. Now MailOnline can reveal that her recent discomfort in the public eye is informed by a losing battle against a small army of trolls and conspiracy theorists which has driven her to despair. We have learned that online abuse of the 72-year-old wife of President Emmanuel Macron, 47, has 'intensified significantly' in recent days. The cue for this was a shock court ruling at which judges effectively sanctioned outlandish claims including that she was 'born a man' and that she had 'sexually abused' her future husband when he was a boy. Ms Macron had hoped that the defamation case would finally bring an end to her years of torment by online trolls - but instead it has unleashed a new wave of abuse. And Ms Macron is 'absolutely devastated' by last week's Paris Appeal Court ruling, sources have told us. That cast exonerated two of her biggest critics, Amandine Roy, a 53-year-old clairvoyant, and blogger Natacha Rey, 49. The case centred on a YouTube video posted by the pair in December 2021, making multiple poisonous claims about Ms Macron - which originally lead to the pair being found guilty of libel and fined. But all 18 challenges against their allegations have now been struck out, because they were 'made in good faith' and repeated claims that were already in the public domain. After the convictions were dismissed, supporters of Roy and Rey hailed a landmark legal victory. François Danglehant, one of the defendants' lawyers, said they had been 'hunted, persecuted and condemned' but were now free to express their opinions. In turn, counsel for Ms Macron are taking the case to the Court of Cassation – one that can quash an Appeal Court decision. 'The situation is now intolerable,' said a legal source involved in the case. 'Those attacking Madame Macron now think they can say what they like, without any consequences. 'It is a disgraceful turn of events, and one that commentators all over the world are taking full advantage of. 'The abuse has certainly intensified – it has increased since this judgement'. Candace Owens, the American media commentator and author, is among those who exclaimed 'We won! We won!' following Ms Macron's legal setback. She said she would 'stake my entire professional career on the fact that Brigitte Macron, the current First Lady of France, was born a man…' Ms Owens also claimed: 'Brigitte was never attacking the claim that she was born a man. She was being super petty and trying to get them on a technicality of defamation for misspeaking.' In fact, Appeal Court sources have denied that the annulling of the libel convictions means the Roy and Rey claims are true. The ruling – which Mail Online has studied in detail – simply states that the majority of their comments 'did not fall within the legal definition of defamation.' One out of 18 points may have been a 'technical libel', and that was the 'shameful claim' that Ms Macron abused her future husband when he was a boy, said the Appeal Court source. 'However, the court dismissed this libel claim too,' said the source. 'Because it found that the women were acting in good faith, by basing their opinions on well-known facts.' These included the fact that Emmanuel Macron was only 15 when he first grew close to the future Ms Macron, who was then his 40-year-old married teacher in their home town of Amiens, northern France. It was also noted that Emmanuel Macron's parents, both doctors, never reported the relationship to the authorities. This meant a crime could have taken place, but it was now outside the statute of limitations for prosecution. It was Natacha Rey who was the principal source of the claim that Brigitte Macron was born a boy. But the legal source said: 'The principal question is whether a complainant was dishonoured. In this case, there is nothing dishonourable about being transgender.' France's Freedom of the Press law of 1881 states that 'Any allegation that harms the honour or reputation of the person or entity to whom the fact is attributed is defamation.' The Court of Appeal judges said many of the Roy and Rey claims were 'too imprecise' or 'incoherent' to 'to determine a sufficiently precise accusation' that 'falls within the legal definition of defamation'. The Macron marriage has always been subjected to vicious speculation, because of its beginnings. It was in 1992 , when the future president was a schoolboy at La Providence high school Amiens, that he first developed deep affection for his drama teacher, the then Brigitte Auzière, who was married with three young children. Some claim the relationship became a dangerously irresponsible one – allegations both parties have always denied – but Ms Macron later admitted that being romantically linked 'with such a young boy was crippling,' especially in a Roman Catholic community. She spoke of the rumours her own boy and two girls – one a classmate of young Emmanuel – had to deal with, saying: 'You can imagine what they were hearing. But I didn't want to miss out on my life.' The couple finally wed in 2007, a decade before Mr Macron came from nowhere to win the French presidency as an independent candidate. Jean Ennochi, Ms Macron's lawyer, confirmed that his client would be 'appealing to the Court of Cassation' over the quashing of the libel convictions. The legal defeat is not the only torment to affect Ms Macron lately - MailOnline revealed last week that her older sister, to whom she was particularly close, had died.
National Post
14-07-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Wife of French president appeals in gender rumours case: lawyer
Paris — France's first lady has taken her case against two women over claims she used to be a man to the highest appeals court after a lower court let them off, her lawyer said Monday. Article content On Thursday, the Paris appeals court overturned earlier convictions against the two women for spreading false claims — that went viral online — that Brigitte Macron, 72, used to be a man. Article content Article content Article content Brigitte Macron filed a libel complaint against the two women after they posted a YouTube video in December 2021, alleging she had once been a man named Jean-Michel Trogneux — who is actually Brigitte Macron's brother. Article content In the video, defendant Amandine Roy, a self-proclaimed spiritual medium, interviewed Natacha Rey, a self-described independent journalist, for four hours on her YouTube channel. Article content Rey spoke about the 'state lie' and 'scam' she claimed to have uncovered that Jean-Michel Trogneux had changed gender to become Brigitte, and then married the future president. Article content The claim went viral, including among conspiracy theorists in the United States. Article content A lower court in September last year had ordered the two women to pay 8,000 euros (about $12,800 Cdn) in damages to Brigitte Macron, and 5,000 euros to her brother. Article content Brigitte Macron's lawyer Jean Ennochi told AFP Sunday that her brother, too, was taking his case against the dismissal of the charges to the highest appeals court, the Court de Cassation. Article content
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Brigitte Macron Conspiracy Explodes: Claims She's A Man Go Viral Again
/ Jul 14, 2025, 02:59PM IST A shocking court ruling in Paris has reignited one of France's wildest political conspiracy theories. Two women — clairvoyant Amandine Roy and blogger Natacha Rey, who had earlier been fined for claiming that Brigitte Macron was born a man, have now been cleared of defamation charges. The ruling is being widely circulated online as supposed "proof" by conspiracy theorists, fueling viral claims that the French First Lady is actually 'Jean-Michel Trogneux'.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
French appeals court clears two over first lady gender rumours
A French appeals court Thursday overturned convictions against two women accused of libel against French First Lady Brigitte Macron, after they spread false claims she used to be a man that reached the United States. Disinformation on Macron's gender has circulated on social media for years. She has also been attacked over the 24-year age difference with President Emmanuel Macron. The 72-year-old first lady, whose maiden name is Trogneux, has a brother called Jean-Michel. Brigitte Macron filed a libel complaint against two women after they posted a YouTube video in December 2021, alleging she had once been a man named Jean-Michel. In the video, defendant Amandine Roy, a self-proclaimed spiritual medium, interviewed Natacha Rey, a self-described independent journalist, for four hours on her YouTube channel. Rey spoke about the "state lie" and "scam" she claimed to have uncovered -- that a certain Jean-Michel Trogneux had changed gender to become Brigitte, then married the president. They discussed surgery she was supposed to have undergone, and revealed personal information about the first lady's brother. The claim went viral, including recently among conspiracy theorists in the United States. A lower court in September last year ordered the two women to pay 8,000 euros in damages to Brigitte Macron, and 5,000 euros ($5,500) to her brother. But the Paris Appeals Court on Thursday let them off, including over a false claim of "grooming a minor", arguing they had made the mistake in "good faith". The defendants will no longer have to pay the damages. The court did not provide further explanations. In a separate case, four men are to appear in court in October in Paris over allegations they harassed the first lady. Among the accused is Aurelien Poirson-Atlan, born in 1984, a publicist known on social media as "Zoe Sagan" often linked with conspiracy theory circles. Former US first lady Michelle Obama, ex-vice president Kamala Harris and New Zealand ex-premier Jacinda Ardern have also been the target of disinformation about their gender or sexuality. cbr/ah/jj
