Imagine going from being a literature teacher working at the local Parisian school to becoming the wife of the President of France.

Well, this is what recently happened to Brigitte Macron following her husband Emmanuel's appointment to President of the French Republic earlier this year.

In a Character from a Novel, out now, author and friend Philippe Besson notes conversations between Emmanuel and Brigitte in the run up to the French presidential elections in April and May this year.

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In one extract of the book, the author recalls Brigitte's reaction to a poll in February which placed her husband in pole position in round one of the election, on 25 per cent, in which she confessed to being 'scared stiff' at becoming First Lady.

He writes: 'Brigitte, who had taken the habit of calling me practically every day, unburdened herself on me to say: "Up until now, deep down, I had always refused to believe (he could win) or rather I had always refused to imagine it. But with all these polls, I understand that it is becoming possible, and its scares me stiff - you cannot imagine.'

"'If it happens, will I know what to do? Can you imagine everything I'll have to change and learn,'" she added.

I understand that it is becoming possible, and its scares me stiff - you cannot imagine

In the months to follow, the newly-elected President vowed to give his wife her own official status, but a petition signed by hundreds of thousands opposing the idea of an official First Lady resulted in the politician giving his wife an official role, but without an administration-funded budget.

During the course of Emmanuel's rise to power, the President and his wife have faced a barrage of criticism with regards to their 24-year age gap.

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In an interview with Le Parisien earlier this year, the President commented: 'If I was 20 years older than my wife, nobody would think for a single second that we couldn't be legitimately together.

'It's because she is 20 years older than me that a lot of people say "this relationship can't be tenable, it can't be possible",' he added.

'It says a lot about the misogyny in France,' Macron continued. 'There is a big problem with the presentation of society and how they see the place of a woman.'

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Meanwhile, Brigitte recently opened up to French ELLE about her decision to put her happiness over what the rest of society deemed 'acceptable' with regards to her relationship with her former student.

'There are times in your life where you need to make vital choices,' she said.

'And for me, that was it. So, what has been said over the 20 years, it's insignificant. Of course, we have breakfast together—me and my wrinkles, him with his youth—but it's like that.'

'Haters gonna hate', Brigitte.

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Katie O'Malley
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Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.