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A Glitzy Gathering of Newsgatherers

His flight training complete, Prince William's next step is duty overseas. (By Chris Jackson -- Getty Images)

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The black-and-white nude photo, showing a pouting Bruni in a pigeon-toed stance with her hands over her pelvic region, was taken by Michel Comte in 1993, when Bruni was a supermodel. Now a successful singer, she married French President Nicolas Sarkozy, 53, in February, just months after he divorced his second wife, Cecilia, and began a whirlwind courtship with Bruni, 40.

Christie's auction house told the Associated Press that the 10-by-13-inch photo was bought by an anonymous bidder on behalf of a collector. The money from the sale, which was about 30 times greater than expected, will go to the Swiss charity Sodis, which provides clean drinking water to developing nations.

End Notes

Spotted: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, sporting a fresh haircut, turned heads on her way out of Watergate Salon yesterday

Quoted: "Well, I think he's got three different girlfriends, so I wish all the girls the best of luck." -- Heather Mills, 40, who didn't let a gag order keep her from talking about her ex-husband, Paul McCartney, during an interview with Britain's GMTV yesterday. Mills addressed recent tabloid reports that McCartney, 65, is dating New Jersey trucking heiress Nancy Shevell, 47.

-- Marissa Newhall, from staff and wire reports

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