The image, by photographer Michel Comte, shows a younger Miss Bruni facing the camera wearing no more than a thoughtful expression, her hands crossed at waist height to cover her modesty.
The photo of Carla Bruni is expected to fetch around £2,000 at auction next month
It is expected to fetch around £2,000 when it goes under the hammer on April 10. The couple are to arrive in the UK on Wednesday for the start of their two-day state visit, and will be meeting the Queen and the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.
Mr Sarkozy has faced criticism that his flashy, Rolex-wearing image belies a lack of substance, and he had hoped that the visit would add some much-needed gravitas to his public persona.
Meanwhile Mr Sarkozy is said to be concerned about his English-speaking ability ahead of his visit. While the Italian Miss Bruni, who has also appeared naked in the pages of this month's GQ magazine, is fluent in both French and English as well as her native tongue, Mr Sarkozy is rarely heard to speak English in public.
It has emerged that he has been taking intensive English lessons in order to impress his hosts during his UK visit.
A video clip from his time as finance minister has become popular on the internet showing him speaking in a barely-comprehensible Inspector Clouseau-esque twang.
Carla Bruni 'cashing in' on Queen visit
By Emma Henry and Tom Chivers
Last Updated: 1:45pm GMT 26/03/2008
Carla Bruni, France's first lady, has been accused of cashing in on her status after stickers appeared on her new CD advertising her stay with the Queen at Windsor Castle.
Nicolas Sarkozy calls for closer friendship with Britain
Sarkozys to get a taste of the best of British
The supermodel turned singer has just finished her new album, No Promises.
The photo of Carla Bruni is expected to fetch around £2,000 at auction next month
A diplomatic source in France said: "Stickers [in English] making clear that Carla is now the French first lady who will be staying with the Queen at Windsor Castle have been placed on all the new CDs.
"It has to be said that a lot of people think this is a very unfortunate precedent.
"The aim of the state visit is to further French/British cooperation, not to sell pop songs. It will appear to many that this is an attempt to cash in on what should be a dignified state visit."
News of the stickers comes stickers follows a nude photo of Miss Bruni being put up for auction at Christie's New York, just hours ahead of the state visit to Britain.
The portrait, by photographer Michel Comte, shows a younger Miss Bruni gazing thoughtfully into the camera with nothing but her crossed hands to cover her modesty.
The pose, apparently in reference to the paintings of French neo-impressionist artist Georges Seurat depicting models, is expected to fetch around £2,000 when it goes under the hammer on April 10.
Miss Bruni and her husband, French president Nicolas Sarkozy, arrived in the UK today for the start of their two-day state visit, and will be meeting the Queen and the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.
Mr Sarkozy has faced criticism that his flashy, Rolex-wearing image is not in keeping with his function, and he had hoped that the visit would add some much-needed gravitas to his public persona.
According to aides, Mr Sarkozy is relying on the refinement of his 40-year-old Italian wife to wow the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.
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