On the occasion of Nicolas Sarkozy’s visit in Britain, accompanied by his new wife, the first lady of France was on the front pages of almost all major British newspapers, being compared to Princess Diana and Jackie Kennedy.

The former Italian supermodel gave up her casual, hippy fashion style and showed up at the meeting with the Queen of England wearing an elegant grey Christian Dior outfit with a French little beret. She also carried a classic black vintage purse, very similar to the accessories the Queen usually wears.

The fashion critics from major style magazines were all pleased by Bruni’s choice. No one had anything to reproach to the First Lady of France, who made a fresh and innocent appearance on the same day that an auction house was selling a nude photograph of her, from 15 years ago when she worked as a model.

Dolly Jones, editor of Vogue.com, said: “With all eyes on her today – some of which are inevitably going to look for any excuse to be critical - Carla Bruni was perfectly demure, her tiny matching hat and rounded collar an elegant reference to Jackie O.”

“Without trying too hard to make a statement, she really looks the part, while the sober grey wool fabric of her coat dress blends into the British weather. She’s certainly not trying to upstage anybody – that seems to be the message.”

All eyes were looking with admiration at Mrs. Sarkozy, as she sat between the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales and three seats from Prime Minister Gordon Brown at the banquet at Windsor Castle yesterday evening.

Newspapers editors also welcomed Sarkozy’s attempt to tighten the relationship between France and Britain, but it clearly was Mrs. Sarkozy who got all the attention and seduced everybody.

In an interview for BBC, the French president had suggested the two countries should work together on issues that concern their nuclear powers, immigration and economy.

Sarkozy’s visit is the first state visit paid to Britain by a French president in more than 10 years. The last president who paid an official visit to Britain was Jacques Chirac, in 1996. He also went to Britain in 2004, but that visit was not an official one.