The new Mrs Nicolas Sarkozy – former model Carla Bruni – is understandably furious that a nude photo of her went on sale on the eve of her State visit to Britain with her husband. The print, taken during her modelling days by photographer Michel Comte in 1993, will go under the hammer at Christie’s in New York next month.

An aide to 40-year-old Mrs Sarkozy said: “Carla is very angry, not to say deeply upset, that a commercial organisation has chosen to release this print at such an important time.