Brigitte Macron: 'I don't feel like a First Lady'

Brigitte Macron, wife of French president Emmanuel Macron, has spoken about the recent controversy surrounding her proposed 'First Lady' title which was widely opposed in France, during her first press interview since entering the Élysée.

Speaking to French Elle magazine, Brigitte Macron said the French will know "exactly what I'm doing" after more than 300,000 French people signed an online petition against her husband's suggestion to give her the title of First Lady, similar to that seen in the US.

Brigitte has now made it clear that her new public role will be informal, complete with a "transparency charter" which will show the French public how the funds and staff needed for her activities are distributed.

She told Elle: "Like all of those before me, I will take on my public role, but the French people will know the resources at my disposal.

"We'll post my meetings and my commitments on the presidency website, so that the French people know exactly what I'm doing. What's important is that it is clear."

She added: "I don't feel like a First Lady. That's the translation of an American expression, and I don't like anything about it. I don't feel like the 'first', or the last, or a lady. I am Brigitte Macron."

The controversy surrounding the awarding of the First Lady role emerged while French politicians are facing a new "morality law" which will see them banned from employing their spouses or family members. The cost surrounding an official First Lady was also a factor for the opposition.

The former teacher, aged 64, mentioned the much discussed 25-year age gap between her husband, saying his only fault is how "he is younger than I am. With Emmanuel, I am very used to extraordinary things happening to me and I always wonder what the next adventure will be. And this has lasted 20 years.

"When I read things about us as a couple, I always feel like I'm reading someone else's story. But our story is so simple."

The full interview will be available in the 18 August edition of Elle.