The head butler at the French presidential palace has been apprehended for allegedly pilfering valuable antique tableware items. Thomas M., in his 40s, was taken into custody following coordinated searches at two residences and a business, resulting in the arrest of him and two accomplices.
The trio have acknowledged their roles in a sophisticated operation that saw numerous porcelain plates, cups, and silver dishes disappear from President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron’s residence over a two-year period. Authorities have indicated that a substantial portion of the stolen goods has been recovered during the raids, with some items discovered concealed in the primary suspect’s bedroom meticulously wrapped and stowed in drawers.
All individuals involved, including the head waiter, have confessed to the crimes while in detention and have committed to returning the stolen items. It is believed that the waiter surreptitiously removed the items over the course of two years before manipulating the Elysée’s tableware inventory records. As the disappearances became too conspicuous to conceal, security personnel were alerted to the situation.
Thomas M., whose full name has not been disclosed, had been employed at the Elysée for five years, responsible for meticulously arranging tables and overseeing the inventory of dining items. Many of the stolen pieces originated from a renowned porcelain factory in Sèvres, established in 1756 by Madame de Pompadour, the mistress of King Louis XV. Some of the items taken were commissioned by the French Presidency in 2018 at a cost of approximately £400,000 and bore the distinctive ‘Elysée Palace’ marking, making them challenging to sell.
Thomas M. was apprehended alongside his partner and an antique porcelain dealer from Versailles named Ghislain M., 30. The arrests were carried out simultaneously by gendarmes from the Paris Regional Investigation Service in the Loiret department, where Thomas M. resides, and in Versailles, where Ghislain M. operates.
Legal representation for Thomas M.’s partner stated that she may have been driven by her fervor for the items. The lawyer for the butler described how he became entangled in a precarious situation, eventually expressing relief during his police custody for the ordeal to be over.
Furthermore, Ghislain M., who also works part-time at the Louvre art museum, was mentioned in connection with a separate robbery where valuable jewels known as France’s ‘crown jewels’ worth over £75 million were stolen. While the suspects in the Louvre case are in custody, the stolen items have yet to be recovered. The Elysée suspects are scheduled to stand trial at the Paris Correctional Court in February 2026, as per the French legal process that ensures even confessors receive a fair trial to determine their level of involvement in criminal activities.