France, July 9 -- Peter Ricketts, the United Kingdom's Bayeux Tapestry envoy, would not be drawn on exactly when the nearly 1,000-year-old "incredibly fragile" embroidery would leave its home in Normandy for the British Museum.

"We don't want any untoward incidents happening. And so that's why we're keeping the exact details and date confidential," he said of the tightly guarded operation surrounding the 11th-century artwork.

Once it does go on show, though, he wants as wide an audience as possible: "When it's ready to be exhibited, we want millions of people to see it."

The loan was first unveiled exactly a year ago, on 8 July, 2025, when UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron announced it during a state v...