Over the decades Prince Philip has been duty-bound to make small talk with some of the most famous and infamous First Ladies the world has ever seen, from Mrs Khruschev of Russia to America’s very own queen, Jacqueline Kennedy.

However, the Foreign Office is yet to reveal whether the Duke will be welcoming onto the diplomatic stage Carla Bruni, the woman whose promotion from model-turned singer to First Lady has provoked headlines across the globe following her marriage to the President of France.