Ten people accused of sexist cyber-bullying of the French president's wife, Brigitte Macron, are due to go on trial this week in Paris.
The defendants are accused of spreading unsubstantiated claims over her gender and sexuality, as well as making malicious remarks about the 24-year age gap between Brigitte and her husband, Emmanuel Macron.
If found guilty, the defendants face up to two years' imprisonment.
Among the ten people due to appear in the dock are an elected official, a gallery owner, and a teacher, according to French media.
Two of them - self-styled independent journalist Natacha Rey and internet fortune-teller Amandine Roy – were found guilty of slander last year for claiming that France's first lady had never existed, and that her brother Jean-Michel Trogneux had changed gender and started using her name.
However, a court of appeals later acquitted Rey and Roy on the grounds that their statements did not constitute defamation. Mrs Macron and her brother are appealing the decision.
A conspiracy theory suggesting Brigitte Macron is a transgender woman has gained traction since her husband won a first term in office in 2017, notably promoted by right-wing influencer Candace Owens.
Last July, the Macrons filed a lawsuit against Owens, alleging that she disregarded all credible evidence disproving her claim in favour of platforming known conspiracy theorists and proven defamers.
Brigitte Macron's lawyer explained that the claims have been "incredibly upsetting" for her and a "distraction" for President Emmanuel Macron. The president stated that legal action was taken to defend his wife’s honor against harmful misinformation linked to extremist ideologies.
Brigitte Macron and Emmanuel Macron met when she was a teacher at his secondary school, eventually marrying in 2007 when he was 29 and she was 54.
