French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, is to separate from his wife of 11 years, Cecilia, the Presidential office says ”The separation is ” by mutual consent” the Elysee Palace statement said,, Speculation had recently been mounting that the couple were to split, with the media often remarking on 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.
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. Cecilia Sarkozy was once one of her husband’s closet 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. Though reconciled afterwards, the couple did not appear in public as often as was expected as Sarkozy’s presidential campaign gathered steam.
This summer she failed to accopany her husband to a picnic lunch hosted by George W Bush, and last weekend she was again absent from her husband’s side at France’s Rugby World Cup match against England.