Speculation over whether Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the wife of French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, is pregnant has intensified as she opts for smock dresses over usual fitted outfits.
Carla Bruni-Sarkozy's smock dress reignited pregnancy rumours in France this week
According to The Guardian all anyone wanted to talk about was the bump but France's first lady was determined the country's worst kept secret would remain a little longer as she held court among the leaders' wives at the G8 summit.
Shunning the usual visits to art galleries and museums, 43-year-old Bruni-Sarkozy, whose father-in-law said last week that she is pregnant, chaired a working meeting on her chosen campaign subject, illiteracy.
She reportedly told Elysée advisers in the run-up to the event in Deauville: "I'm not going to play the wallflower.”
In a programme tailored to that demand, Bruni-Sarkozy spoke about the campaign against illiteracy and today she will host a working lunch for women from African delegations and international organisations on the protection of mothers and children against Aids.
However, worthy causes struggled against the bump for news coverage as France has been transfixed for weeks by reports the couple are expecting a child due, it is believed, a few months before the president seeks re-election next May.
French media report that the Bruni-Sarkozy reported pregnancy is the worst kept secret in France
Italian-born Bruni-Sarkozy has a nine-year-old son from a former relationship. Sarkozy, 56, has three sons from two previous marriages.
