Brigitte Macron brings forward libel trial against woman who claims the French ... trends now
Brigitte Macron has brought forward her libel trial against Natacha Rey, who made bizarre claims that the French First lady was born a man.
The hearing has been moved from March 2025 to June 19, 2024, at the request of Macron's lawyer following Rey's claims that she was born under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux.
Since the interview with Rey, 48, on a YouTube channel at the end of 2021, lawyer Jean Ennochi said the rumours surrounding French President Emmanuel Macron's 70-year-old wife had continued to be fuelled.
Ennochi therefore requested the hearing to be sped up, as concerns around how the rumours have spread beyond France and into the United States have arisen.
He also said: 'In recent weeks, particularly internationally, via the Trumpist influencer Candace Owens, who relayed, I felt that the harm to my clients was increasing day by day'.
Brigitte Macron has brought forward her libel case against Natacha Rey after she claimed the French First Lady was born a man, before transitioning at the age of 30
Last month American conservative commentator Candace Owens took to Twitter to tout the controversial theory after briefly speaking about it on an episode of her Candace Owens Podcast.
She said she will 'stake her entire professional reputation' on the already debunked theory that Brigitte Macron was born a man.
The tweet claimed that the First Lady transitioned at the age of 30, as well making outlandish claims that she did not give birth to any of her three children, and that her first husband, a 69-year-old retired banker said to have died a recluse in 2020, never existed.
The conspiracy stems from an completely false claim made by far-right magazine Faits et Documents (Facts & Documents), after Macron, 46, was elected.
But the debate was reignited last month after Emmanuel Macron's step-daughter, Tiphaine Auzière, gave an interview to Paris Match in which she addressed claims that her mother Brigitte was born male.
Auzière was just 10 when she found out that her teacher mom was involved with a student who was 25 years her junior.
'I have concerns about the level of society when I hear what is circulating on social networks about my mother being a man,' she said.
Speaking to Le Nouvel Obs, Rey said she will not be able to travel in June due to being 'very weakened by cancer'.
Her lawyer, Mr Danglehant, confirmed that on the day of the new hearing, he will request a medical certificate - which can be rejected.
It comes after two women - including Rey, who falsely claimed Brigitte Macron was born a man were punished with 'symbolic fines' reduced on appeal, it emerged at the beginning of last month.
In turn, both claimed they were subjected to 'intimidation by the authorities' as 'ultra protected' members of the Paris establishment tried to cover up a 'state secret'.
Details of the bizarre case focused on Macron's wife were revived on March 1 after her own daughter talked publicly about the accusations for the first time.
The future politician was just 15 when he began a relationship with the then married mother-of-three Brigitte Auzière, who was 40 at the time, and teaching drama at La Providence high school in Amiens, northern France.
As the French debated the unconventional personal life of their head of state, MailOnline obtained details of a judgement handed down at the Caen Appeal Court last June.
It referred to two defendants – Amandine Roy, a 52-year-old clairvoyant, and Rey.
Both had appeared on a four-hour YouTube video in December 2021 in which they claimed that Brigitte was born as a
