Nude photos of new French First Lady emerge

Paris, France (AP) -- A nude photo of France's first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy will be auctioned off at a sale next month in New York City, an auction house said.

The image was taken by photographer Michel Comte in 1993, when Bruni-Sarkozy was one of the world's most sought-after models. In the black-and-white photo, she strikes a pigeon-toed pose, her hands covering her crotch.

An official at French President Nicolas Sarkozy's office declined Tuesday to comment on the April 10 sale, saying it concerned the leader's private life.

The photo is expected fetch $3,000-$4,000 at the auction, to be held at Rockefeller Plaza, according to the Web site for Christie's auction house.

Sarkozy divorced his second wife in October and married the Italian-born former model — now a successful singer — in February, after a quick courtship.

Bruni-Sarkozy was to undertake her first state visit as France's first lady on Wednesday, with a two-day trip to Britain, where she and her husband are expected to attend a lavish banquet held by Queen Elizabeth II.