How Old Was Emmanuel Macron When He Met Brigitte? Unusual Love Story Resurfaces Amid Candace Owens Lawsuit

The enduring love story of French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, has once again captured global attention, this time amid a legal battle.

As fresh details resurface regarding how old Emmanuel Macron was when he first met Brigitte, their unusual romance takes centre stage in a high-profile defamation lawsuit against American political commentator Candace Owens.

The Lawsuit Unfolds: Defamation Claims Against Candace Owens

On 23 July, France's President, Emmanuel Macron, and his wife, Brigitte Macron, launched a defamation lawsuit against Candace Owens. This action follows the US commentator's 'preposterous' assertion that the French First Lady was born male.

The Macrons lodged a 218-page lawsuit in Delaware on Wednesday. They accuse the right-wing podcaster of circulating 'outlandish, defamatory, and far-fetched fictions,' which fuelled a deceitful 'campaign of global humiliation' and 'relentless bullying.'

Owens targeted Ms Macron, who is 72, in a YouTube video titled 'Is France's First Lady a Man?' The video, since removed, was uploaded last March and disseminated the false assertion that she is biologically male.

The Genesis of the Claims: A Conspiracy Theory Takes Hold

The American commentator asserted that her claims stemmed from a 'thorough investigation' conducted by French blogger Natacha Rey, who is also facing legal action from the Macrons in a distinct case within France.

The Macrons' attorney, Tom Clare, of Clare Locke LLP, told CNN on Wednesday that they had asked Owens to stop claiming for about a year and filed the lawsuit as a 'last resort' after she refused.

'Ms Owens has promoted a preposterous narrative about the Macrons, including incendiary and verifiably false accusations of identity theft, incest, violent crimes, and mind control,' a statement shared with MailOnline read.

The Macrons' Stance: Why They Filed the Lawsuit

In a statement, Mr and Ms Macron explained: 'Because Ms Owens systematically reaffirmed these falsehoods in response to each of our attorneys' repeated requests for a retraction, we ultimately concluded that referring the matter to a court of law was the only remaining avenue for remedy.

'Ms Owens' campaign of defamation was designed to harass and cause pain to us and our families and to garner attention and notoriety. We gave her every opportunity to back away from these claims, but she refused.'

'It is our earnest hope that this lawsuit will set the record straight and end this campaign of defamation once and for all.'

This revelation follows recent disclosures from sources close to the Macrons, who indicated that Brigitte has been pushed to despair by online harassment. This abuse stems from assertions that she was born male and 'sexually abused' her future husband during his childhood.

Unpacking the Conspiracy: How the Claims Emerged

In March 2024, Owens announced on social media her decision to stake her entire professional reputation on the theory that the French First Lady was originally named Jean-Michel Trogneux—her elder brother's actual name—before undergoing a transition at the age of 30.

According to the conspiracy theory, Brigitte never gave birth to her three children. It further claims her first husband, a retired banker, supposedly 69 years old and said to have died as a recluse in 2020, was entirely fictitious.

These extreme allegations originate from an article that first appeared in the French far-right magazine Faits et Documents (Facts & Documents) in September 2021, though it initially garnered little attention.

However, the claims gained significant traction after far-right blogger and Faits et Documents contributor Natacha Rey, alongside clairvoyant Amandine Roy, discussed them in a YouTube interview that subsequently went viral.

While these wild claims continue to circulate, the spotlight inevitably turns back to the extraordinary origins of Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron's relationship and the significant age difference that marked their first encounter.

The Start of an Unusual Romance

The bond between French President Macron, aged 47, and his 72-year-old wife has captivated audiences both within France and internationally ever since their initial meeting in 1992.

She was 39, a married mother of three, and a teacher at the French Catholic school in Amiens. He, a 14-year-old pupil, was in the same class as one of her daughters when their paths first intersected. After divorcing her husband, Brigitte got into a relationship with Macron during his late teenage years.