The Daily Mail reported on September 1 that a new book detailing French First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy's "secret life and lovers" will hit French shelves in mid-September. It recounts her romantic history before marrying President Sarkozy. The publication has sparked significant controversy in France.
Publisher Flammarion Group states: "This explosive new book comprehensively reveals Bruni's relationships with her secret lovers and details her cosmetic procedures before and after.It portrays an adventurous woman chasing fame and fortune, with a highly compelling narrative. Written independently by the author without assistance from anyone in Bruni's circle, the book objectively recounts the story of a woman who has worn many hats—supermodel, actress, singer, and First Lady." To maintain confidentiality, the publisher has not disclosed the book's title.
The author is French writer Besma Raouli, known for her exposé on French soccer star Zinedine Zidane's private life. To research this "Bruni Confidential," she went into hiding and hired bodyguards.
By any woman's standards, Bruni's romantic history is remarkably complex.Since rising to fame on the runway at age 19, countless men have fallen under her spell. Before marrying Sarkozy, she was linked to celebrities including Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger and "King of the Blues" Eric Clapton.In the 1990s, while living with renowned French publisher Jean-Paul Antoine, Bruni developed feelings for his eldest son Raphaël, a philosophy professor who was already married at the time.In 2001, Raphaël divorced his first wife and married Bruni, his father's girlfriend. The couple had a son, but their marriage lasted only six years before ending. Currently, lawyers at the Élysée Palace stand ready to take action. Should any new book be found to defame the First Lady, they will not let it go.