Sarkozy, 53, and the Italian Bruni, 40, were married yesterday in a first floor reception room of the Elysee Palace, with about 20 relatives and close friends present, according to Francois Lebel, the local mayor who officiated.

The president's third marriage again put him on front pages around the world because of his private life, a phenomenon which polls say is costing him support at home from voters who would rather he worked on France's problems.

But it does allow Bruni to accompany Sarkozy on a state visit to Britain in March as France's first lady. The couple will have tea with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.

Lebel, whose eighth arrondissement includes the Elysee Palace, explained the lengths taken to preserve the couple's "discretion" as their whirlwind romance ended in an exchange of vows.

The presidency only confirmed the event several hours after it happened and Sarkozy had warned reporters last month that if there was a wedding the media would only find out about it afterwards.

"The banns were not published because the president of the republic obtained, as is often the case, special dispensation from the prosecutor of the republic," the mayor told reporters yesterday.