French-UK leaders' changing tone: From 'Donnez-moi un break' to texting about football

French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak react in the rain after the Franco-British Summit joint news conference held at Elysee Palace in Paris, France March 10, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

PARIS (Reuters) - As British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron exchanged rugby shirts at the Elysee palace on Friday, it was in sharp contrast in tone to years of acrimony between London and Paris.

The two leaders, both former investment bankers, had even exchanged friendly text messages when France knocked England out of the football World Cup in December, Sunak told Le Figaro newspaper, in a further sign of what British media have called "Le Bromance".