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| Hollande coy in Holland as questions asked about absent Valérie Trierweiler | Hollande coy in Holland as questions asked about absent Valérie Trierweiler |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| President François Hollande was put on the spot over his absent partner, Valérie Trierweiler, during a state visit to the Netherlands on Monday. | President François Hollande was put on the spot over his absent partner, Valérie Trierweiler, during a state visit to the Netherlands on Monday. |
| Flanked by the Dutch king and queen, Willem-Alexander and Máxima, for the official photographs, the French first lady was conspicuous by her absence. | Flanked by the Dutch king and queen, Willem-Alexander and Máxima, for the official photographs, the French first lady was conspicuous by her absence. |
| It was the first official trip for Hollande since the scandal of his alleged affair with a French actress broke 10 days ago. Closer magazine claimed the 59-year-old president had been secretly leaving the Élysée Palace to meet Julie Gayet, 41. | It was the first official trip for Hollande since the scandal of his alleged affair with a French actress broke 10 days ago. Closer magazine claimed the 59-year-old president had been secretly leaving the Élysée Palace to meet Julie Gayet, 41. |
| Trierweiler, 48, spent just over a week in hospital suffering from shock and what was described as "deep despair", but left on Saturday and is recovering at La Lanterne, an official residence at Versailles. | Trierweiler, 48, spent just over a week in hospital suffering from shock and what was described as "deep despair", but left on Saturday and is recovering at La Lanterne, an official residence at Versailles. |
| Hollande has not denied the reported relationship with Gayet, but has refused to comment. | Hollande has not denied the reported relationship with Gayet, but has refused to comment. |
| At the weekend the French magazine Paris Match – where Trierweiler works as a journalist – reported that the president had told her he "needed more time" to resolve his emotional conflict. | |
| Hollande said last week that he would "clarify" the situation before his planned state visit to Washington on 11 February, but at a press conference he refused to confirm that Trierweiler remained his official partner and did not mention her by name. | Hollande said last week that he would "clarify" the situation before his planned state visit to Washington on 11 February, but at a press conference he refused to confirm that Trierweiler remained his official partner and did not mention her by name. |
| At a press conference with the Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, on Monday, Hollande was asked again whether Trierweiler remained first lady. | At a press conference with the Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, on Monday, Hollande was asked again whether Trierweiler remained first lady. |
| "Thank you for your question," the president said. "Valérie Trierweiler is better and she is resting at the moment in La Lanterne residence. I have nothing else to say." | "Thank you for your question," the president said. "Valérie Trierweiler is better and she is resting at the moment in La Lanterne residence. I have nothing else to say." |
| If Hollande had hoped his visit to the Netherlands would allow him to escape the feverish speculation about his private life in France he was to be disappointed. | |
| The Dutch daily newspaper De Telegraaf's front page asked: "Valérie c'est fini?" (It's finished?) and featured a photograph of Gayet, who was described as "a charming actress". | The Dutch daily newspaper De Telegraaf's front page asked: "Valérie c'est fini?" (It's finished?) and featured a photograph of Gayet, who was described as "a charming actress". |