German chancellor Angela Merkel wears a dashing two-piece green suit to attend the Richard Wagner festival in Bavaria with her opera-loving, publicity-shy husband.
Mrs Merkel- who has had a rough a tumble year politically- seemed relaxed and smiled for waiting photographers as she strolled alongside her husband, who was dressed in a sharp tux.
The Chancellor is officially on holiday, and a number of onlookers clapped the figure the German people affectionately call ‘Mutti’- which translates as mother.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her husband Joachim Sauer arrive for the opening of the annual Bayreuth Festival
German chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and her husband Joachim Sauer, right. Mrs Merkel seemed relaxed and happy on her vacation
Bavaria’s State Premier Markus Soeder (R) poses next to his wife Karin Baumueller, Mayor of Bayreuth Brigitte Merk-Erbe’s husband Thomas, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Mayor of Bayreuth Brigitte Merk-Erbe, Merkel husband Joachim Sauer and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte
The happy couple were attending the opening of the annual Bayreuth Festival featuring the music of Richard Wagner in Bayreuth, a medium sized town in Bavaria.
She was escorted to the event by her notoriously shy and elusive husband Professor Joachim Sauer.
Also at the event were Bavaria’s state Premier Markus Soeder, his wife and also the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
In quite a rare move for the partner of such a powerful politican, Mr Sauer has never given an interview while Mrs Merkel has been in power.
There are also occasions when he won’t go abroad with Mrs Merkel- for example when she met the Queen on a state visit to the UK in 2016 he was not in attendance.
He also didn’t attend his wife’s inauguration at the Bundestag, opting to watch some of it on TV in his laboratory.
Professionally he is a quantum chemist and a professor at the Humboldt University of Berlin.
Very few details about his private life are known but he is thought to enjoy hiking and and also the opera, in particular Wagner- which may explain his attendance at the event.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte arrive for the festival
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her husband Joachim Sauer. Her husband is a successful scientist in his own right
German chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and her husband Joachim Sauer, second from left, are both smiling and enjoying the festival
The impression Mrs Merkel made this year is a far cry from the clothing controversy when she attended the event in 2008.
She was spotted wearing a gorgeous frock but committed the fashion sin of wearing socks- leading to some ridicule by social media users.
The Bayreuth Festival is held annually at which a number of performances of German composer Richard Wagner are presented.