Link: New Statesman - In the eye of Hurricane Carla.
(...)
"It was barely light when a British journalist, obviously titillated by Carla in the nude, asked me on a 6.20am news programme if Kevin Costner was indeed on the longlist of her former lovers. I was taken aback. I had naively thought we would discuss Sarkozy's politics. What was I supposed to answer?
"At 6.45am, a radio show wanted to know my prognosis for that evening's football match between France and England. Time to be diplomatic for a change: I said nil-nil. We won. There were two other calls from excitable chat-show hosts on the way to Windsor. This was going to be quite a day.
"At 8am, hordes of journalists and commentators roamed Windsor's high street, checking emails at the fancy hotel opposite the castle and making friends with the local bobbies as they set up their cameras and kilometres of cables. At 11.30am, a Horse Guards Band arrived to keep spirits up, playing Glenn Miller melodies. At noon, the Queen was driven at a stately pace in her Bentley to the station, where she was to greet her Republican guest. On our TV monitor, the Sarkozys' marathon had just started. At Heathrow, he in a pair of high-heeled loafers and she in a grey retro air-hostess ensemble by Dior were greeted by the heir to the throne. The British journalist next to me exclaimed: "Oh Dior, j'adore."
"The royal carriages at last made their entry on the high street, and a cannon fired. The "Marseillaise" resounded loudly, shaking the window panes of Windsor's chichi tearooms with its "Let's march! Let's march!/May our land with tainted blood be soaked!"
"Wooing Westminster
"Journalists then broke for lunch and I left for Westminster, where Nicolas Sarkozy was to deliver a speech in front of a full house and the whole government. Flanked on both sides by frescos depicting our defeats (and your victories) at Trafalgar and Waterloo, Nicolas Sarkozy performed Act I of his amorous declaration to Britain and the British.
"For the entire cabinet, parliament and the Lords it was love at first sight. They were all blushing and bursting into applause throughout Nicolas's speech. In the days it took to recover their senses, I had to calm everyone down, explaining over and over again that this was classic Sarkozy, who, for all his fiery passion, didn't always mean what he had so vehemently spelled out..."
