FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron has had a tough time of it since November, with yellow vest protesters storming the capital.

Standing by his side was his 65-year-old wife, Brigitte Trogneux – but who is she, and what's their story? Here's the lowdown…

Who is Brigitte Trogneux? What's her background?

Brigitte Trogneux is the daughter of Jean and his wife Simone, and is the youngest of their six children.

The wealthy family own a famous French chocolate-making empire.

In June 1974 Trogneux married the banker Andre Louis Auziere and the couple had three kids together.

She hit headlines in July this year when the US President Donald Trump described her as in "great shape" during his visit to Paris.

How did Emmanuel Macron meet Brigitte?

Emmanuel Macron, the leader of political party En Marche! and the youngest president in France's history, met his future wife when he was just 15-years-old.

When Macron hit the limelight, footage of him kissing his future wife on the cheek – when he was a teen and she was his married teacher 25 years his senior – emerged.

Macron, now 40, shared a classroom at a Catholic school with Brigitte's daughter Laurence – who is the same age as Macron.

Pictures show the schoolboy kissing his future wife on the cheek back when she taught him at school in Amiens in northern France.

Macron played the lead role in a school play Jacques and his Master, by Czech writer Milan Kundera.

In fact, Macron’s parents were stunned when they learned that Macron was romantically involved with his teacher as they believed their son was actually in love with Laurence, reports Reuters.

Writer Anne Fulda, who penned book Emmanuel Macron: A Perfect Young Man, spoke to the politician’s parents about the unconventional romance which happened while Brigitte was still married to the father of her three children.

His parents were shocked by the explosive revelation and removed their teen son from the school in Amiens, in northern France, and sent him to finish his education in Paris.

Macron’s mother told Fulda: “We couldn’t believe it.

"What is clear is that when Emmanuel met Brigitte we couldn’t just say: ‘That’s great'.'"

She is quoted as telling Brigitte: “Don’t you see. You’ve had your life. But he won’t have children with you.”

But the woman who was to eventually become France’s next First Lady told Macron’s parents: “I cannot promise you anything,” when she was told to stay away from the teen, reports Reuters.

Brigitte last year confirmed to Paris Match magazine that Macron vowed to marry her when he was just 17-years-old.

In Fulda’s book, she is quoted as saying: “Nobody will ever know at what moment our story became a love story.

"That belongs to us. That is our secret.”

In November Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron attended a memorial to mark two years since the Paris attacks.

Brigitte and Emmanuel stood side by side with families of victims.

Some 130 people were killed and hundreds injured when terrorists targeted the Stade de France arena, restaurants and the Bataclan concert hall where Eagles of Death Metal was playing.

When did Trogneux and Macron get married?

Macron married his wife in 2007 after Brigitte’s previous marriage ended in divorce.

The former economics minister is step-father to his wife’s three adult children, including son Sebastien who is two years older than Macron.

Daughter Tiphaine, 30, is a lawyer who works on her step-dad’s campaign.

She reportedly described Macron as having an “exceptional personality” and being an “intelligent man.”

Macron does not have any biological children with his wife, although he is also the step-grandfather of Brigitte’s seven grandchildren.

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