Macron’s wife to sue over claims she was born a boy
EmmanuEl macron’s wife Brigitte is taking legal action over a social media conspiracy theory that she was born a boy.
The claims have gone viral under the hashtag #JeanmichelTrogneux racking up thousands of shares online. Trogneux was mrs macron’s maiden name.
Senior aides revealed she will sue over the ‘completely false’ rumours. They began in September when a far-Right magazine ran a story headlined ‘the mystery of Brigitte macron’ – claiming the 68-year-old was a trans woman.
The piece contained no evidence to back up any of its accusations, but it claimed Elysee officials ‘had been unable to provide a photo of Brigitte as a child’.
mrs macron, who is nearly 25 years older than her French president husband, has hired celebrity lawyer Jean Ennochi. In 2014 he acted for Julie Gayet when the actress sued the gossip magazine Closer after it revealed her relationship with Francois Hollande, who was then the country’s leader.
It is not clear who mrs macron could file a lawsuit against and whether she would seek financial damages. The newspaper liberation quoted mr Ennochi as saying there would be prosecutions against those who relayed the claims on social media.
In October a 35-year-old man was convicted of fraud after he posed as mrs macron’s nephew to obtain luxury goods and favours by using a fake email address at the presidential palace.
It was used to send messages to the organisers of motor racing events, five-star restaurants and hotels, and to other establishments requesting ‘special favours for mrs macron and her family’. Requests included a suggestion that mrs macron should get free tickets for the 2018 melbourne Grand Prix, with free limousines.
It was not known whether any arrangements were made on the back of the emails before the scam – which mrs macron knew nothing about – was uncovered. The culprit was jailed for 30 months.
mrs macron married the 43-yearold French president in 2007 when he was 29. Their wedding came a year after she divorced her first husband and father of her three children. The couple met when she taught him drama at secondary school aged 15.
‘Thousands of shares online’