He holds out his hand to escort Mrs Macron down the steps of the jet gangway, but is quickly brushed away by the 72-year-old, who clings on to the staircase railing instead. The two descend to the bottom of the stairs in silence, with Mr Macron offering brief smiles for onlookers while his wife wore a steely expression.
A video showing French President Emmanuel Macron’s wife, Brigitte, seemingly slapping him before stepping off the plane in Vietnam has gone viral on social media. Macron arrived in Hanoi on Sunday evening to start his Southeast Asia tour. However, the diplomatic mission was overshadowed by apparent ‘bickering’ between the couple.
But James told MailOnline that the interaction was far from a 'playful' moment of teasing between a husband and wife, as Macron and his inner circle had attempted to portray it. 'I would not describe the gesture we saw from inside the plane as one of "play" as has been claimed,' she said.
