Nicolas Sarkozy is visiting London today to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Charles de Gaulle’s appeal to the French to resist the Nazi occupation during World War II.
Mr Sarkozy was the first foreign leader to be invited on an official visit to Britain by David Cameron when he became Prime Minister last month.
The French president is being accompanied by his wife, singer and former model Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.
On June 18, 1940, as the French government prepared to sign an armistice with the Nazis, General Charles de Gaulle broadcast on the BBC to France.
He called on French citizens to continue the war against Germany and appealed to all troops to rally under his command in London.
“The flame of French Resistance must not and will not be extinguished,” he said.
Mr Cameron said: “The importance of General de Gaulle’s words has not been dimmed by history.
“It was a call for freedom; a call to fight tyranny; a call that inspired countless acts of bravery.
“Today we honour and remember the courage of all those who fought for the cause of freedom.
“And today we celebrate the relationship between France and Britain.”
On a previous visit to Britain in March, Mr Sarkozy was forced to laugh off rumours about his marriage amid claims circulating on the internet that they were both having affairs.
Although the rumours were largely ignored by the French media, Mr Sarkozy was questioned about them by British journalists, prompting him to say: “I love Britain – don’t make me bite back those words.”
Mr Sarkozy and Ms Bruni-Sarkozy made a state visit to Britain in March 2008.
