Taking over from a supermodel should not be a problem for Valerie Trierweiler, who has plenty of glamour of her own, but making state visits abroad as Frances first unmarried first lady just might.
There is some speculation as to whether Ms Trierweiler, whose partner Francois Hollande was elected Socialist president on Sunday, will marry her man before he gets the keys to the Elysee Palace on May 15.
If she does not, certain host countries may face some embarrassment as to the proper protocol to receive an unmarried head of state turning up with an unwed woman on his arm.
Ms Trierweiler, a twice-divorced 47-year-old journalist and mother of three teenagers who says she plans to continue her media career and combine it with her first lady role, recently dismissed the issue.
Im not sure it will come up all that much. Maybe on a visit to the pope? Frankly, it really is not an aspect that bothers me.
This question of marriage is above all a part of our private life, the brunette told AFP.
Apart from the Vatican, conservative countries that might view her unmarried status as a diplomatic dilemma include the Arab Gulf states, where Islamic traditions apply, and in conservative societies like India.
There is some speculation as to whether Ms Trierweiler, whose partner Francois Hollande was elected Socialist president on Sunday, will marry her man before he gets the keys to the Elysee Palace on May 15.
If she does not, certain host countries may face some embarrassment as to the proper protocol to receive an unmarried head of state turning up with an unwed woman on his arm.
Ms Trierweiler, a twice-divorced 47-year-old journalist and mother of three teenagers who says she plans to continue her media career and combine it with her first lady role, recently dismissed the issue.
Im not sure it will come up all that much. Maybe on a visit to the pope? Frankly, it really is not an aspect that bothers me.
This question of marriage is above all a part of our private life, the brunette told AFP.
Apart from the Vatican, conservative countries that might view her unmarried status as a diplomatic dilemma include the Arab Gulf states, where Islamic traditions apply, and in conservative societies like India.
