Ten individuals accused of harassing Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, are set to stand trial in Paris. The trial, which begins today, stems from a legal complaint filed by Brigitte Macron in 2024. The couple claims these individuals spread false allegations suggesting that she was born a man.

This case is distinct from a separate lawsuit the Macrons filed in the United States against conservative podcaster Candace Owens. In that lawsuit, filed in July, the couple alleges that Owens has engaged in a campaign of misinformation and harassment to enhance her popularity. They describe her actions as a “campaign of global humiliation” and “relentless bullying.”

The ten defendants, eight men and two women aged between 41 and 60, face charges of online harassment. If convicted, they could face up to two years in prison. Prosecutors allege that the defendants made derogatory comments regarding Brigitte Macron’s gender and sexuality. They also reportedly equated the age difference between Brigitte, who is 72, and Emmanuel, who is 47, to pedophilia.

Brigitte Macron, known as Brigitte Auzière before her marriage, met Emmanuel Macron when he was a 15-year-old student at the high school where she taught. They married in 2007 after she divorced her first husband. The allegations regarding her gender emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, fueled by fringe online discussions. Notably, Amandine Roy, one of the defendants, and Natacha Rey produced a YouTube video in 2021 that speculated about Brigitte’s biological sex.

In 2024, the couple won a defamation lawsuit against Roy and Rey, but the verdict was overturned in 2025 on the grounds of freedom of expression. Among the accused is Aurélien Poirson-Atlan, a publicist known as "Zoé Sagan," who is often associated with conspiracy theories. Another defendant, Delphine J., a self-identified spiritual medium, has previously faced a libel complaint from Brigitte Macron.

The claims against Brigitte Macron have circulated since Emmanuel Macron's election in 2017, often amplified by far-right and conspiracy theorist groups in both France and the United States. The Macrons are preparing to present scientific evidence in their U.S. lawsuit to demonstrate that Brigitte was born female. In March 2024, Owens publicly stated, "I stake my entire professional reputation on the fact that Brigitte Macron is in fact a man."

Brigitte Macron has not publicly addressed these allegations since 2022. The trial in Paris marks a significant moment in the ongoing legal battles surrounding the couple and the harassment they have faced.