WINDSOR  ( 2008-03-26 19:58:51 ) : 

A beaming French President Nicolas Sarkozy, flanked by his model wife Carla Bruni, was greeted with pomp by Queen Elizabeth on Wednesday for the first French state visit in more than a decade.
Thousands of people gathered on the streets of Windsor to welcome France's glamorous first couple, whose visit comes weeks after they married following a high-profile, whirlwind romance.
Many well-wishers said they had come to see not only the Queen but also Bruni, a former fashion model born in Italy who has also enjoyed a successful career as a singer and songwriter. Dressed in a demure grey coat and wearing a small, stylish hat, Bruni smiled politely and curtsied as she shook hands with the Queen and then chatted animatedly with the monarch's 86-year-old husband, Prince Philip.
As a band played and flags were waved, the French couple and the Queen and Prince Philip were taken into the grounds of Windsor Castle in horse-drawn carriages, where they inspected a parade of marching royal guardsmen.
The couple will spend the night at the castle, just outside of London.
The visit comes at a crucial time for Sarkozy, who is battling accusations at home that he is a "bling bling" president more concerned with a flashy lifestyle than getting a grip on the French economy and other weighty issues.
Before his arrival, 53-year-old Sarkozy told British media he hoped the visit would emphasise what the two countries have in common while also tightening business and other ties.
The Queen, who speaks fluent French, and Sarkozy, who speaks little English, chatted politely as they walked in the courtyard of Windsor Castle, while multi-lingual Bruni and Prince Philip were more animated in their discussions.