Brigitte Macron has expressed fear that her trousers might bulge between her legs in public because that may fuel the ludicrous rumours that she was born a man, according to a close friend.
The comment, first told to RTL Radio and reported by Bild, was shared by former Justice Minister Éric Dupond-Moretti, who highlighted the impact the bizarre conspiracy theory has had on the French first lady’s mental health.
Ten people stood trial in Paris on October 27 and October 28 for the alleged cyber-harassment of President Emmanuel Macron‘s wife, in the latest legal action sparked by false claims that she is a transgender woman.
The eight men and two women, aged 41 to 60, are accused of making numerous malicious comments about Mrs Macron’s gender and sexuality, even equating her 25-year age difference with her husband to ‘paedophilia’.
The French first lady filed a complaint in August 2024 that led to an investigation into cyber-harassment and arrests in December 2024 and February 2025.
In testimony to police investigators, Mrs Macron said: ‘Every time I am abroad, people talk to me about [the rumour]. There is not a single head of state’s spouse who is not aware of it.’
She was not present at the trial, but the court heard how the alleged harassment led to a ‘serious deterioration in her physical and mental health’.
Her daughter, Tiphaine Auziere, was present and revealed the cruel taunts Mrs Macron’s grandchildren have had to face because of the ‘horrible things said about her’.
She said: ‘This has repercussions on her children and grandchildren. They hear things at school such as: “Your grandmother is a man.” I don’t know how to make it stop.’
France’s President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron are seen at the Elysee Palace dinner as part of the Paris Peace Forum at Elysee Palace on October 29, 2025 in Paris, France
French President’s wife Brigitte Macron looks on ahead of a meeting between French President with Jordan’s Crown Prince at the Elysee Palace in Paris on October 8, 2025
Tiphaine Auziere, daughter of Brigitte Macron, arrives at a courtroom as ten people go on trial accused of cyberbullying Brigitte Macron after they allegedly made “malicious” comments online spreading claims that President Emmanuel Macron’s wife is a man, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025 in Paris
Prosecutors requested suspended prison terms of three months to 12 months for the accused, and fines of up to €8,000 (£7,000).
Among the defendants was Aurelien Poirson-Atlan, 41, a publicist known on social media as ‘Zoe Sagan’ and often linked with conspiracy theory circles, who claimed on the sidelines of the trial that he was the one being harassed.
Jerome C. 55, told the court he was exercising his right to ‘freedom of speech’ and ‘satire’ when he posted or re-posted on social media.
Bertrand S., 56, said the trial was targeting his ‘freedom to think’ faced with the ‘media deep state’.
The defendants also included a woman already the subject of a libel complaint filed by Brigitte Macron in 2022: Delphine J., 51, a self-proclaimed spiritual medium who goes by the pseudonym Amandine Roy.
In 2021, she posted a four-hour interview with self-described independent journalist Natacha Rey on her YouTube channel, alleging Mrs Macron, whose maiden name is Trogneux, had once been a man called Jean-Michel Trogneux – the name of her brother.
When Ms Auziere was asked whether she saw her uncle at the trial, she replied: ‘I saw him a few months ago and he was doing very well.’
The two women were ordered to pay damages to Mrs Macron and her brother in 2024 before the conviction was overturned on appeal.
The first lady has since taken the case to the country’s highest appeals court.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron (L) and his wife Brigitte wait to welcome guests for a dinner hosting participants of the 8th Paris Peace Forum, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on October 29, 2025
The French first lady filed a complaint in August 2024 that led to an investigation into cyber-harassment and arrests in December 2024 and February 2025
Defendant Amandine Roy shows her convocation on her phone on the first day of the trial for sexist cyberbullying against Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, at the Paris Court in Paris, France, 27 October 2025
French author Aurelien Poirson-Atlan also known as Zoe Sagan at the trial with nine other persons accused of sexist cyber-harassment of Brigitte Macron
When Roy appeared in the dock for her criminal trial, she was told by the presiding judge: ‘You are accused of the same offence as the other defendants, namely harassing Brigitte Macron online. This led to a serious deterioration in her physical and mental health.’
Mrs Macron, not in court, was represented by her barrister, Jean Ennochi.
Maud Marian, for Roy, said her client had merely ‘replied to other posts’ online, and had not trolled Mrs Macron directly.
All of the defendants deny any wrongdoing, and claim their right to free speech is being infringed because they attacked a senior member of the Paris political establishment.
Speaking to the court, Ms Auziere stated that her mother ‘has to pay attention to what she wears, how she holds herself, because she knows that her image can be distorted.’
In a stark insight into how public figures cope with troll hate, Ms Auziere explained how her mother was ‘constantly under attack and it affected her enormously’.
She said: ‘It was important for me to be here today to express the harm. I wanted to express what her life has been like since she suffered this hatred. There has been change and deterioration.
‘My mother always has to be careful about how she dresses and behaves in public because of this fake news. She knows that her image could be taken and distorted. She’s constantly under attack. She can’t ignore all the horrors being said about her.’
Defendant Aurelien Poirson-Atlan, centre, arrives at the courtroom as ten people go on trial over cyberbullying of Brigitte Macron
Bertrand Scholler arrives for his trial with nine other persons accused of sexist cyber-harassment of Brigitte Macron
Asked by a prosecuting lawyer if Mrs Macron had seen all the messages being discussed at trial, Ms Auziere replied: ‘She read them all. It hurt her enough. She doesn’t want to see them again.’
The presidential couple filed a U.S. defamation lawsuit in July against conservative podcaster Candace Owens, who produced a series titled ‘Becoming Brigitte’, claiming she was born a man.
The couple are planning to offer ‘scientific’ and ‘photographic’ evidence proving that the first lady is not transgender, according to their U.S. lawyer.
Several of those on trial in Paris shared posts from the U.S. influencer, who said she would stake her ‘entire professional reputation on the fact that Brigitte Macron is in fact a man’.
Mrs Macron’s latest court trial comes after she was given a male name on her official French tax portal by hackers.
A routine audit of Brigitte’s financial reports in September 2024 discovered the insult, according to senior Paris civil servant, Tristan Bomme.
Mr Bomme said: ‘Like many French people, Madame Macron logged into her personal account on the tax website.
‘She logs into the system and saw that it did not say Brigitte Macron, but Jean-Michel Macron.’
He added that Mrs Macron had made an official complaint about the hacking.
Mrs Macron and her husband President Emmanuel Macron filed a defamation lawsuit in the U.S. in July against American right-wing influencer Candace Owens after she promoted claims that Mrs Macron was born a man
The little girl with a pudding bowl haircut sitting on her mother’s knee is Brigitte Trogneux, and far left is her brother Jean-Michel
France’s first couple has also always been subject to speculation and fierce debate because of its controversial beginnings.
It was in 1993, when the future president was a schoolboy at La Providence high school in Amiens, northern France, that he first developed deep affection for his drama teacher, the then 39-year-old Brigitte Auzière, who was married with three young children.
Some claim the relationship became a dangerously irresponsible one – allegations both parties have always denied – but Mrs Macron later admitted that being romantically linked ‘with such a young boy was crippling,’ especially in a close-knit, Roman Catholic community.
Speaking at an International Women’s Day event last year, the French president expressed despair about the obsessive rumours surrounding his wife – implying that the endless speculation has taken a toll on the everyday.
‘The worst thing is the false information and fabricated scenarios,’ he said. ‘People eventually believe them and disturb you, even in your intimacy.’