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5.30pm: Thanks to Charles Bremner, Times Correspondent in Paris, for a
read-out on how French media are treating the visit. He says that they've
focused heavily on the lavish ceremonies staged for the first couple.
Europe 1 radio described the welcome as "majestic". "The
monarchy is coming to the aid of the republic for 36 hours," it said,
referring to Mr Sarkozy's attempts to restore his battered image.
France Inter, the Gallic equivalent of BBC Radio 4, reported from Windsor: "The
ceremony is very solemn, with the deployment before our eyes of a regiment
and its band. Nicolas Sarkozy is seeking to regain a presidential air after
his collapse in the opinion polls. There is nothing like a state visit for
doing that. The annoying thing is that everything that has irritated the
French is catching up with him here with a picture of Carla Bruni naked
which has appeared in the press."
On RTL radio, they were impressed by the extraordinarly good-humoured crowd
with "little English children rehearsing words in French". Its
report added: "The presidential couple smiled constantly. Carla Sarkozy
is wearing a belted grey suit of extreme elegance. Frince Charles and
Camilla were also very elegant although some might have thought that Camilla
had put a partridge's nest on her head."
4.58pm: News comes in that while at Windsor Mr Sarkozy was appointed an
Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, an honour that the
Queen has bestowed on various world leaders including Ronald Reagan, Lech
Walesa, George H.W. Bush and Robert Mugabe.
4.47pm: Mr Sarkozy wins a standing ovation from MPs and peers after a
wide-ranging 41-minute speech. Most important news line was probably the
fact that he will announce a beefed-up French contribution to Afghan force
at next week's Nato meeting, but no details yet.
As the Sarkozys move on (including Carla, who looked rather regal on the
throne to the President's right) MPs mill around to discuss what they've
just heard. Many of them chose not to wear headphones, including Gordon
Brown - who was nodding furiously during part of the speech. Does he speak
French too?
4.40pm: On Europe, Mr Sarkozy insisted that only by working together
can France and Britain get the kind of European Union both want. While
recognising that the Franco-German friendship is the "very basis of
reconciliation" in Europe, a strong Anglo-French entente is equally
important. There is no conflict, he adds, between the need for a strong
Europe and a strong Atlantic alliance.
4.24pm: The paean to all things British continues - and it's not just
historical. Mr Sarkozy praises Britain for everything achieved over the past
30 years, for the leadership it has managed to show. "I have not come
to say this is what France has to teach you. I have come to say that this is
what France has to learn from our neighbours," he says.
Turning finally to his own country, he adds: "France is back on the move,
and let me tell you one thing: the reforms, these reofrms, I will see
through, because there is one conviction that has guided me throughout my
life in politics, that I have not been entrusted (with power) simply to bow
down in front of fatality.. I was elected to create opportunity, to change
France."
4.15pm: The French President began by paying loud tribute to Britain
and her tradition of democracy. "This Parliament was the first anywhere
in the world to achieve the results of parliamentary democracy," he
said. "The result of this is that you represent the touchstone of
everything that our democracies stand for."
It was here, in Westminster, that parliamentaries learnt how to form parties,
how to have an election. That is the greatness of the United Kindgom.
"In all circumstances, you British have been true to yourselves, you have
fought according to your own principles,. and that has been enough to make
Britain in the eyes of so many a political and a human ideal."
But it's not just political battles that the British fought but military ones,
including the Battle of Britain, that "most marvellous accomplishment".
And if the French and English clashed, it was often because they were too
alike rather than too different.
And in the two world wars of the 20th century, when France was on its knees,
it was Britain who came to her rescue. "France will never forget."
It's going down well.
4.06pm: Mr Sarkozy breaks into English! Standing up to loud applause,
he waves it away and says "Thank you, thank you, but waiting for my
speech." Then he breaks back into French.
4.05pm: Mr Sarkozy's speech is prefaced by an introduction from the
Commons Speaker, Michael Martin, who reminds us not of the Entente Cordiale
but the Auld Alliance
and recalls how Edinburgh advocates used only to drink claret.
4.00pm: The Sarkozys have arrived at the Palace of Westminister where
Mr Sarkozy is about to speak to members of both houses in the Royal Chamber.
The BBC says that Mr Sarkozy's mother is with him, as is his mother-in-law, as
we reported
earlier.
3.20pm: Mr Sarkozy has now left Windsor for Westminster, where he will
visit Westminster Abbey and speak (in French) to peers and MPs.
But not before an exchange of gifts. The Queen gave Mr Sarkozy - a keen
philatelist - proof copies of stamps issued in 2004 to mark the centenary of
the 'Entente Cordiale'; she gave his wife a miniature carriage clock.
In return, Mr Sarkozy gave her a Lalique crystal sculpture of two horses and a
book about horses published in 1743 by King Louis XV's Inspector of Horses.
Obviously someone told him that the Queen is keen on horses.
2.00pm: They must be having a nice lunch because there's been no sign
of them. The crowd seem pleased, including 88-year-old Lilian Smith, who
said that today's procession was the first she had watched since moving to
Windsor three years ago. “Mrs Sarkozy was so glamorous and I love all the
pomp and circumstance,” she said. “I think it’s definitely worth the
disruption to the town when they have these state events.”
Michelle Walker, 43, who is on a week-long holiday from Pueblo, Colorado, said
that her family had no idea that anything special was happening when they
arrived at Eton and Windsor station. “It’s like a children’s nursery rhyme,
’We went to London to see the Queen’, but we never expected it to come true,"
she said.
12.30pm: The pageantry continues and it becomes clear that quite a
large crowd has indeed turned up. The Queen and her guests move inside for a
spot of lunch. They are also due to inspect a "display of items from
the Royal Collection" - although it's not clear which items. Maybe a photograph
or two?
12.25pm: More pomp and pageantry to underline the fact that this is a
state visit. Mr Sarkozy inspects the guardsmen in the bearskin hats, then
the artillery arrive in the courtyard at Windsor Castle.
The President seems to have hit it off with the Duke of Edinburgh - perhaps
his English
lessons are helping? The Queen is said to speak excellent French.
12.16pm: The cortege arrives at Windsor Castle, where Mr Sarkozy
inspects the guard of honour. A colleague points out that Mrs Sarkozy is
wearing flats. She still towers over her husband, though.
12.12pm: In the Commons, Gordon Brown has welcomed Mr Sarkozy to
Britain. "I believe that our talks will be very constructive,” he told
MPs. A sign already that the new Franco-British "fraternity" is
bearing fruit?
12.11pm: William Hill, the bookmaker, is offering 10/1 that Mr Sarkozy
will buy that
photograph of his wife. “We think that Nicolas will want to get the
photo out of circulation as quickly as possible and the only way he can
guarantee that is by buying the print”, a spokesman said.
12.10pm: This is the bit that will look good on the TV news back home.
Nicolas Sarkozy being driven through the streets of Windsor.
No sign of any great crowds, but it is a Wednesday.
12.05pm: The horse-drawn carriages pull up in front of the dais. Mr
Sarkozy climbs in first - the Queen insists. He's the fourth French
president that she has welcomed on a state visit, although usually they
would come to Buckingham Palace rather than Windsor.
The consorts climb into the second carriage. Charles and Camilla will bring up
the rear.
It will be the Queen and Mr Sarkozy in the first, followed by the consorts
and, finally, in an open-topped carriage, Charles and Camilla.
12.03pm: La Marseillaise rings out over Windsor.
12.01pm: Household Cavalry get their orders shouted out as Mr Sarkozy's
armoured limousine comes into view. He alights, smiling broadly, to shake
the Queen's hand, bowing his head in a most dignified way. Mrs Sarkozy
produces a practised courtsey. It's all going well so far.
12.00: Still waiting. No sign of any French people.
11.58am: The clock is still ticking. The Queen is waiting out in the
cold. Is Mr Sarkozy late already?
11.53am: To the strains of the national anthem, the Queen and Duke of
Edinburgh arrive in the royal car at Windsor railway station, where they
will greet the Sarkozys at a special dais set up for the occasion.
They shake hands with various dignitaries, including the Silver
Stick-in-Waiting, while they wait for the French President to arrive.
Presumably, Her Majesty will not be kept waiting very long.
11.45am: The focus now shifts to Windsor, where the Queen, accompanied
by the Duke of Edinburgh, will welcome her fellow Head of State and invite
him a carriage procession through the town. The Duke and Mrs Sarkozy will
follow in a second carriage.
The Sarkozys are en route in their limousines. No traffic to contend with,
thanks to those motorcycle outriders.
Contrary to speculation, and our
report this morning, Mr Sarkozy’s elderly mother Andree, who accompanied
him to China last year, is not taking part in the visit, the Press
Association reports.
11.32am: The presidential couple have descended from their official Air
France jet and we have to report that it's one-nil to Carla in the battle of
the frocks, or at least the hats. She's wearing a lovely jaunty grey beret
thingy which makes the Duchess of Cornwall's feathered creation look a bit,
well, English. No prizes for guessing who the cameras will be focusing on.
11:25am: They're here!
11:15am: Bonjour. The Sarkozys are touching down at Heathrow in a few
minutes to be welcomed by the Prince of Wales at the start of their two-day
state visit. From there it's on to Windsor and a ceremonial welcome by the
Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.
We'll be following it blow-by-blow - as will the
President's compatriots. The visit is being seen as a timely chance for
Mr Sarkozy to present his new, more sober image: no more Ray Bans or
Rolexes. The French are calling it the "re-présidentalisation"
of Nicolas Sarkozy.
In the meantime, everyone's taking
a peek at the Carla Bruni nude picture to go on sale at Christie's in
New York.
