Emmanuel Macron, the neoliberal candidate widely tipped to beat far-right Marine le Pen to the French presidency, first met his now-wife Brigitte when he was 15 and she his 39-year-old teacher.

And the pair weathered town gossip, the fury of Mr Macron's parents and an enforced separation, according to a forthcoming book by French journalist Anne Fulda which casts new light on their unorthodox relationship.

After spending months collaborating on a school play when the former Rothschild Bank employee was still aged only 16, the Daily Mail reports they shared a kiss on the cheek which sparked their decades-long love affair.

Before turning 17 Mr Macron was dating his still-married teacher, against the express wishes of his parents. Mr Macron is now 39, and his 64-year-old wife was by his side as he celebrated his victory in the first round of the presidential elections last week.

Emmanuel Macron pays tribute to wife Brigitte during speech after entering round two

Brigitte was still married herself when she met the young academic star, and one of the three children she had with then-husband Andre-Louis Auziere was in Mr Macron's class at the Lycée La Providence in Amiens. Her oldest son, Laurence, is two years older than the man who is now his step-father.

But her husband's work in international finance often took him away from the northern French city, and the teacher then known as Mme Auziere would reportedly meet her pupil for trysts at luxurious homes belonging to her well-heeled family.

Mr Macron's parents were troubled by the rumours flying around about their son's infatuation with a woman twice his age, and according to Ms Fulda's exposé they staged a meeting at which Mme Auziere was reduced to tears but refused to back off.

When that intervention and attempts at match-making with a family friend failed to cool the affair, the neurologist and paediatrician decided to dispatch their son to Lycée Henri-IV in Paris, which was both one of the top secondary education institutions in France and a respectable 90 miles (145km) from Amiens.

French Presidential Election Show all 20 1 /20 French Presidential Election French Presidential Election Voters line up to cast their ballots REUTERS French Presidential Election French expats queue along the street outside the Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle to cast their vote in a polling station inside the school, in the first round of the 2017 French presidential election, in London, Britain April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor - RTS13JM5 REUTERS French Presidential Election People line up to vote in the first round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Vaulx-en-Velin near Lyon, France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot - RTS13HSP REUTERS French Presidential Election Police patrol polling stations in France REUTERS French Presidential Election Francois Fillon (L), member of the Republicans political party and 2017 French presidential election candidate of the French centre-right, casts his vote in the first round of 2017 French presidential election in Paris, France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Christophe Archambault/Pool - RTS13IH0 REUTERS French Presidential Election Benoit Hamon (C), French Socialist party 2017 presidential candidate, is surrounded by photographers as he leaves a polling station after voting in the first round of 2017 French presidential election in Trappes, near Paris, France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler - RTS13I0Y REUTERS French Presidential Election French President Francois Hollande collects voting slips before casting his ballot in the first round of the 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Tulle, France, on April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Georges Gobet/Pool - RTS13ITO REUTERS French Presidential Election A policeman walks by election posters near a polling station during the first round of 2017 French presidential election in Paris, France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann - RTS13I3A REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte Trogneux REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron casts his ballot REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron, head of the political movement En Marche !, or Onwards !, and candidate for the 2017 French presidential election, waves hand during in the first round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Le Touquet, northern France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier - RTS13ICH SAA/ French Presidential Election Jean-Luc Melenchon, candidate of the French far-left Parti de Gauche and candidate for the French 2017 presidential election, leaves a polling booth in the first round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Paris, France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe - RTS13IKB REUTERS French Presidential Election Front National leader Marine Le Pen casts her ballot Marine Le Pen (L), French National Front (FN) political party leader and candidate for French 2017 presidential election, casts her ballot in the first round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Henin-Beaumont, northern France, April 23, 2017. At R, Mayor of Henin-Beaumont Steeve Briois. REUTERS/Charles Platiau - RTS13IEI REUTERS French Presidential Election Early ballots are read as results continue to come in Reuters French Presidential Election Macron supporters react as results come in early in the evening AP French Presidential Election Supporters of Front National leader Marine Le Pen cheer as early results come in Reuters French Presidential Election Alamy Live News. J21KYW Paris, France. 23rd April 2017. Marcon supporters wave French and EU flags after the announcement that he is the leader in the exit polls after the polling stations have been closed. Supporters of Emmanuel Macron, the Presidential candidate from the social liberal political party En Marche! celebrate the exit polls, that see him in first place, ahead of Marine Le Pen from the Front National in the first round of the French Presidential election. Credit: Michael Debets/Alamy Live News This is an Alamy Live News image and may not be part of your current Alamy deal . If you are unsure, please contact our sales team to check. Alamy French Presidential Election Front National leader Marine Le Pen takes to the stage to address her supporters as fans cheer Reuters French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron greets supporters on Sunday night AP French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte Trogneux celebrate the incoming results EPA

But Mr Macron continued to make clandestine trips back to his hometown to visit the older woman, and in 2006 Brigitte underwent an acrimonious divorce with her husband. She married Mr Macron 18 months later, at which time she was 54 and he 29.

The unusual relationship has not attracted an excessive amount of attention in France, where sexual impropriety is often seen as a fact of political life. This is despite the fact that the age of consent between teachers and pupils is 18, as opposed to 15 among members of the general public.

Incumbent President Francois Hollande was unruffled when he was caught having an affair with Julie Gayet, an actress nearly two decades his junior, while former President Nicholas Sarkozy infamously left his wife for the actress, musician and model Carla Bruni.