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As his drama teacher, Brigitte Trogneux directed Emmanuel Macron’s stage debut in a school play at the age of 15.
As his wife, she mentored, coached and advised him during his presidential campaign.
As first lady, she will assume a powerful role that Mr Macron’s aides compare to that of Michelle Obama during her time in the White House.
He often refers to his wife, who is 24 years his senior, as his intellectual soulmate and confidante. Mr Macron, 39, says he will govern more effectively if he is happy — and that means having Brigitte at his side.
Mindful of the spectacular downfall of François Fillon, the conservative former presidential favourite, over allegations that he gave his wife a “fake job” as his parliamentary adviser, Mr Macron has promised Brigitte a staff, a budget and responsibilities — but no salary.
The outgoing Socialist president, François Hollande, faced criticism for giving his ex-girlfriend, the journalist Valérie Trierweiler, an Elysée office and a staff, without clarifying her exact role.
During Mr Macron’s campaign, he announced that he wanted the position of First Lady, which has no official status in France, to be defined and codified.
Brigitte Macron’s main interest is expected to be education and working for disadvantaged and autistic children.
Alix Bouilhaguet, the author of a recently-published book about the partners of the presidential contenders, described how Brigitte, 64, put her husband through his paces as he rehearsed the lengthy speeches the French expect from political leaders.
“She was always elegant, often wearing tight jeans and a dark jacket, somehow managing not to look out of place among his campaign team, although their average age appeared to be around 25,” Ms Bouilhaguet said.
She was married and a mother of three when he fell in love with her as a schoolboy in the red-brick rustbelt town of Amiens in northern France.
Their affair scandalised the local community and Mr Macron’s parents packed him off to study in Paris.
Defying expectations that the relationship would be short-lived, they married in 2007.
“He had only one girlfriend of his own age and these two relationships are the only ones he has ever had with women, which is quite exceptional today,” said Anne Fulda, his biographer.
During the campaign, Mr Macron denied rumours that he was gay. He has become a stepfather to Brigitte’s daughter, Tiphaine, and sons Sébastien and Laurence, although he is about their age. Brigitte’s seven grandchildren call him “Daddy”, according to Ms Fulda.
His plan to give his wife an influential role reflects his insistence that half of his movement’s candidates in next month’s parliamentary elections are women.
He describes himself as “a convert to feminism” and has pledged to defend equal pay and maternity leave.