Bruni reveals bedroom spat with minister

A book rushed out to exploit the public fascination with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his new wife, Carla Bruni, reveals how the former supermodel taunted one of France’s most senior female politicians, justice minister Rachida Dati, for, apparently, failing to get her husband into bed. According to the book, the incident took place as the pair – who are said to have a frosty relationship - walked through the bedroom of the Elysee Palace. Bruni is reported to have said to Dati: "You would have liked to occupy it, wouldn't you?"

And the froideur between the two – Dati was very close to the French president’s second wife Cecilia - did not end there. Soon after Bruni married Sarkozy in February, the new First Lady ordered Ms Dati to stop sending her husband text messages.

La Veritable Histoire de Carla et Nicolas, by the respected French journalists Valerie Benaim and Yves Azeroual, includes many direct quotes from Bruni, who reveals that she was attracted to Sarkozy on first sight because of his good looks and the fact he appeared to her to have "five or six brains".

Bruni says: "I didn't expect someone so funny and so alive. I was seduced by his looks, his charm and his intelligence. He has five or six remarkably fertile brains. I didn't go out with cretins before I met him, that's not my style. But he is really, really quick."

Of her role at the Elysee Palace, Mme Bruni says that she sees no conflict between her new status and her career as a singer. "I have no intention to change job. I have a function [as First Lady] but it is not a job."