This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/7050770.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
French president and wife divorce | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife of 11 years, Cecilia, have divorced "by mutual consent", according to a statement from the Elysee Palace. | |
The statement clarified an earlier announcement that they were to separate. | |
"What is intended by the word separation is divorce," it said. | |
Speculation that they were to split had been mounting for months, with the media remarking on Cecilia Sarkozy's absence from her husband's side. | |
Cecilia Sarkozy has had a successful career as a model and parliamentary aide and has said that she never wanted to be a traditional first lady. | Cecilia Sarkozy has had a successful career as a model and parliamentary aide and has said that she never wanted to be a traditional first lady. |
Both were already divorcees when they married each other in 1996, each with children from a previous marriage. | Both were already divorcees when they married each other in 1996, each with children from a previous marriage. |
They have a 10-year-old son together, Louis. | They have a 10-year-old son together, Louis. |
Cecilia Sarkozy was once one of her husband's closest political advisers. | Cecilia Sarkozy was once one of her husband's closest political advisers. |
They have had a turbulent relationship and were separated for several months in 2005, when Cecilia went to live in New York with an advertising executive. | They have had a turbulent relationship and were separated for several months in 2005, when Cecilia went to live in New York with an advertising executive. |
Though reconciled afterwards, the couple did not appear in public as often as was expected as Mr Sarkozy's presidential campaign gathered steam. | Though reconciled afterwards, the couple did not appear in public as often as was expected as Mr Sarkozy's presidential campaign gathered steam. |
This summer she failed to accompany her husband to a picnic lunch hosted by US President George W Bush and last weekend she was again absent from her husband's side at France's Rugby World Cup match against England. | This summer she failed to accompany her husband to a picnic lunch hosted by US President George W Bush and last weekend she was again absent from her husband's side at France's Rugby World Cup match against England. |