“Sorry for the press…” how Carla Bruni’s nude photo nearly ruined her state visit to England in 2008

The interview was conducted by the magazine Vanity Fair , Carla Bruni-Sarkozy looked back on several elements of her life and in particular her time at the Élysée, when she lived alongside her husband, Nicolas Sarkozy, who was then President of the Republic. And the former first lady tells a joke about the state visit organized to London in 2008, which obviously did not go as planned. “It’s quite a story, this state visit to England in 2008. The very day we arrived, the British press went into a frenzy, publishing an old photograph of me, nude, taken by Michel Kome, which had been auctioned off for the anti-war campaign. AIDS. All the newspapers put this picture on the front page.”

True to their reputation, the English tabloids did not hesitate to make headlines about the first lady’s modeling past, choosing a photo to cause a scandal. “When I got off the presidential plane with my husband, Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, were waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs and said to us, We are very sorry for the press…” I didn’t really understand at the time.” Fortunately, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy was not injured and was able to impress the English. Her bow to Elizabeth II in a Dior outfit leaves a lasting impression. “The day after our meeting with the Queen, all the newspapers turned around, absolutely all of them. They appreciated my seriousness, my respect for protocol, my efforts in appearance.”

A surprising episode, but the artist, above all, has preserved the “power” he had during these five years spent at the Elysée, “being in a position that allowed me to help many people”. participate, influence to help another. that was really important to me. I am not saying this to present myself as a great philanthropist. I think it is also in my nature.

A joke that would have been perfect for the script of the episode anywayThe crown if the series was not stopped.