Merci Brigitte! Praise for First Lady as proof older women can be sexy

HER youthful fashion sense and the 24-year age gap with her husband may have raised one or eyebrows when she became the First Lady of France.

But Brigitte Macron’s popularity shows no signs of fading as it emerged she has broken the record for the number of letters received by a French president’s wife, with hundreds of mature women clamouring to praise the 64-year-old’s style.

Mrs Macron, pictured, receives up to 200 written messages a day from admirers who thank her for showing that older women can attract and seduce younger men, according to her top adviser.

Carla Bruni, wife of Nicolas Sarkozy, held the previous record, receiving around 35 a day.

Pierre-Olivier Costa, Mrs Macron’s adviser, said her inner circle was surprised by the number of people asking for her help after her husband Emmanuel, 40, became president.

‘Many women in their 60s or 70s write to Brigitte to say merci, thank you because I didn’t know it was possible, thank you because I didn’t dare wear that sort of dress, thank you for showing that one can still seduce at 65,’ he told the Daily Telegraph. ‘We were incredibly surprised at the scale of requests for help from Brigitte Macron.’

Mrs Macron, a retired teacher, first met Mr Macron when he was in her drama class. The couple ended up pursuing an affair before the mother of three left her first husband.

Since Mr Macron was elected earlier this year, she has received praise for her modern dress sense and youthful style.

Christelle Graillot of Vivendi Talent Management said Mrs Macron had ‘uninhibited’ the women of her generation, and added that the Macrons ‘demonstrate that everything is possible’.

She told Vogue magazine: ‘[Brigitte] has dusted off the style of the first lady. She is a free French woman.’

In August Mrs Macron admitted she was reminded of the age gap between her and her husband daily when she looked at the president.

She said: ‘Of course, we have breakfast, me with my wrinkles, him with freshness, but that’s how it is.’

Mrs Macron added: ‘The only problem with Emmanuel is he’s younger than me.’