With the UK only now getting over its slightly embarrassing teenage-style crush on French premiere madame Carla Bruni (well, not French as such, but… you know), The Diary was last week picking over the metaphorical bones of the super-exclusive reception held for M Sarkozy at the Guildhall on 27 March.

The legal profession was represented by such grande fromages as Herbert Smith chief David Gold and SJ Berwin counterpart Ralph Cohen, who rubbed shoulders on table two with a chap from Reed Smith.