Photos of Carla Bruni and an ex-lover stolen in Paris burglary

Police and authorities in France are worried that the hundreds of photos, said to show the French President’s wife in the company of an ex-lover, may end up being made public and sold to the highest bidder.

The French daily 'le Parisien' is just one of many press outlets discussing just what the photos may contain, and the affair has made front pages everywhere, including in Spain, where she has been on an official visit with husband Nicola Sarkozy. Many of the photos are said to have been taken during her love affair with French philosopher Raphaël Enthoven. The burglary apparently happened on Sunday night at the upscale Paris Left Bank apartment of Enthoven’s younger brother, Julian, according to police, who added that the burglars seemed to know what they were looking for. Highly intimate photos are said to be included in the burglars’ haul. They also made off with computer files, a camera with film in it, and videos. Fears are now centred upon the possibility of the photos being used to embarrass the President and his wife, or sold on the internet. The President is known not to be at all keen on news of his wife’s colourful past life, in which she is said to have seduced several well-known figures, including Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton. The burglary may well also revive the almost-forgotten story of how she had an affair with Enthoven’s married eldest son whilst she was still living with Enthoven the father. The son’s wife, writer Justine Lévy, has never forgiven her and she subsequently discussed Carla Bruni in less than flattering terms in a book. Critics will also be pleased that the occasion will revive memories of the time Bruni posed for nude photographs just before visiting Britain last year. Police are now left with the difficult task of finding out if the burglary could be linked to three other burglaries concerning President Sarkozy or his entourage.