Sarkozy Madness in Britain Capped by Carla Bruni's Nude Photo
by Zoe Strimpel
Wed, 26 Mar 2008
Today's the big day, and by now, the British public knows all about it. Today, the socio-political-sexual whirlwind that is M. and Mme. Sarkozy (Carla Bruni) arrived in Britain for their state visit. The itinerary includes the couple being met at Heathrow by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall this morning and a state carriage procession to Windsor Castle. Meetings and speeches at Parliament and Buckingham Palace, a viewing of items from the Royal Collection after lunch at Windsor Castle, and laying a wreath on the Grave of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey are only some of the activities that will culminate in a state banquet at Windsor tonight. And that's just today. No wonder the papers have twittered of nothing else for weeks, even months.
Of course, there's been plenty else to think about. Before President Sarkozy and Ms. Bruni were married, it was their sleeping arrangements that made headlines (would they share a bed at Windsor?). Once they were married, we wanted to know if the couple's almost juvenile haste might put the Queen off.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, news came that the Sarkozys (after all that fuss, and perhaps even the marriage itself) were only going to stay one night, not two, at Windsor Castle. Why ever was that? Spokespeople at the French Embassy and Foreign Office had told me at the time that it was simply to do with the sheer business of Mr. Sarkozy (a case of leaving the UK on the second evening, not the third morning), and that nothing was amiss. The Queen hadn't been snubbed, the Sarkos hadn't been snubbed, etc. There was an end to that.
We weren't bored for long, though, as soon followed rumors that the French Embassy had had to ask Parliament for an especially small lectern so that when the President gives his speech there today, he will actually be seen (neither the Embassy nor Parliament had much comment on this one).
But the icing on the whole hilarious cake came yesterday, as news reached these isles that Christie's New York will be selling, on April 10, a nude photo of Mme. Sarkozy by Michel Comte, from the collection of Gert Elfering. Not ideal timing, given that we all know Sarko's popularity recently plunged in France because of his bling-bling sensibilities. Oh, and because of that little niggling visit to the Queen today.
"It's not the look you would normally associate with a First Lady," sneered the Daily Mail yesterday, in its element. "Mrs. Bruni-Sarkozy, whose long list of past lovers includes English rock stars Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton, had pledged to use the state visit to establish herself as a serious consort." Ouch.
Had Christie's born the timing of the state visit in mind in announcing the sale? No and no, were the answers from London and New York. (The New York spokesperson sounded as though she'd never even heard of that little country Great Britain, much less cared about the comings and goings of a European head of state). Funnily enough, highlights from the Elfering collection were on view here in London at the end of February. Needless to say, as Christie's confirmed yesterday, the naked Bruni was not among them.
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