Brigitte Macron on life at the top as France's first lady

Brigitte Macron on her role: "I don't feel that I am a first lady"

Brigitte Macron has been shedding a little light on what life at the top is like as France's first lady, nearly a year after husband Emmanuel Macron was elected as France's president.

She travelled with him on a three-day state visit to Washington this week.

In comments made to French media, she said it was difficult to find peace and quiet on the job.

When he was elected, Mr Macron ditched plans to create a first lady status, setting up an official role instead.

"What I do not like is that there is never [any] time off," she told French radio.

"Wherever you are, there is always someone to take your picture. There is never a time when you can be totally quiet. That's the most cumbersome side,"

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These days, she says, reflecting on her role, "one sometimes has the impression that every word is a word too many. That's a bit of a shame because one holds back constantly."

On the inside, she feels she is "Emmanuel Macron's wife, not the wife of the president. I don't feel that I am a first lady," she adds.

She acknowledges that she bears the responsibilities of a first lady, that of representing her country, but that "otherwise I live a normal life; I meet people... I haven't changed, either in my head or in the way I live."

On what to do during official visits, she says: "There is a small label on the ground, so I stand where I'm told to stand"

Upon Emmanuel Macron's election, Brigitte Macron was given an official role, funded from Mr Macron's budget. The new job - which does not carry the official title "first lady" - was defined as focusing on disabled people, education, children, women's issues, health and gender equality.

It's not an easy role to carry out, she says: "One is here, without being there, while being there. It's very curious. So the main thing is not be unwelcome - because it is very clear, one is not elected. The positioning is not simple."

During official visits, she follows directions: "There is a small label on the ground, so I stand where I'm told to stand."

But whenever she can, she says she manages to escape on short occasions without Mr Macron and do things outside of the official programme.

"I always manage to. I always play truant."

Unusual couple

The couple, who famously has an age gap of 24 years between them (he is 40 and she has just turned 65), describes themselves as an unusual one.

They have a similar gap as that between Donald and Melania Trump - but the other way round.

The Macrons met when Brigitte was Emmanuel's drama teacher in secondary school.

Brigitte, who was married at the time, says she was "totally overcome" with his intelligence - Emmanuel was 15 then.

Later, when Mr Macron ran for high office, his wife was credited with influencing his views on women in politics. But for now, her role remains a mainly ceremonial one.