Nude wife photos stir up Sarkozy UK visit

LONDON, England (CNN) -- French president Nicolas Sarkozy has started his first official visit to the UK -- the day after it was reported that an auction house is to sell nude pictures of his new wife.

Sarkozy and his wife, the former supermodel Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, were greeted by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall after the presidential plane landed at London's Heathrow airport Wednesday morning.

The French couple then traveled to Windsor, outside London, where they were greeted by Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh before being taken to the castle in a state carriage procession.

The French president's schedule included a full state banquet at Windsor Castle on Wednesday night, where he is staying as the guest of the queen. On Wednesday afternoon he addressed both Houses of Parliament in French.

In the speech to lawmakers, Sarkozy said his government is willing to commit more troops to the war in Afghanistan, calling the fight there "crucial" to the NATO alliance.

"We cannot afford to lose Afghanistan," Sarkozy told British lawmakers during a state visit. "We cannot afford to see the Taliban and al Qaeda returning to Kabul. Whatever the cost, however difficult the victory, we cannot afford it. We must win."

Sarkozy did not provide details of any additional deployment, which he said would depend on NATO's support for a broader development strategy for Afghanistan. Watch the French first family woo the UK »

Away from the politics, Sarkozy's wife was attracting as much, if not more, attention than her husband during the two-day visit.

Auction house Christie's is to sell photographs of former model Bruni-Sarkozy, taken by Michel Comte in 1993, in New York next month, The Associated Press reported Tuesday. The agency quoted the French president's office as saying the sale is a private matter. Watch the images the queen probably won't see »

The UK media has covered the president's courtship of Bruni-Sarkozy and subsequent marriage in depth, with several using her visit as reason to reprint images from her modeling career.

Many observers in France see the presidential trip as a bid by Sarkozy to regain some of the popularity that saw him elected last May.

Since then he has provoked controversy at home with his high-profile divorce from former wife Cecilia in October, followed by his relationship and marriage to Bruni-Sarkozy, a singer and former model. On the political front he has drawn flak through his attempts to shake up French pension and labor laws. Watch why Sarkozy is slipping in approval ratings at home. »

Transport workers staged a week and a half of strikes in November to protest Sarkozy's plan to end special retirement privileges for train drivers and other state employees.

On Tuesday Sarkozy hinted that he might boycott the opening ceremony on the Beijing Olympics this summer, agencies reported, following pressure at home to take a tough line on the Chinese crackdown in Tibet.

Closer co-operation on Afghanistan, the credit crunch, immigration and nuclear power are all expected to dominate talks between Sarkozy and UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

In an interview with the BBC ahead of the visit, Sarkozy said that the UK and France needed to shift from "being cordial to being friendly.".

The UK's Press Association reported Sarkozy wanted the relationship to be "fleshed out by concrete projects on the economy, immigration, security, and defense."

On Thursday Sarkozy is expected to have talks with UK prime minister Gordon Brown at Downing Street, followed by a UK-France summit at the Emirates Stadium, home to Arsenal Football Club, which boasts a French manager and high percentage of French playing staff.

He will then present record-breaking yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur with top French award the Legion d'Honneur at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich. E-mail to a friend

Copyright 2008 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.

All About Nicolas Sarkozy • Carla Bruni • France