French first lady Valerie Trierweiler will fly to India this weekend to fulfil two humanitarian engagements in Mumbai.
Trierweiler will make her first public appearances this weekend since she plunged into a depression, following revelations that her partner President Francois Hollande was having an affair with Julie Gayet, a 41-year-old actress, The Independent reported citing the Le Parisien Friday.
Trierweiler has dismissed advice from the Élysée Palace and will visit India for the two-day trip organised by Action Against Hunger, a global humanitarian organisation.
The organisation confirmed that Trierweiler intended to make the trip. "We are delighted she is coming. Everything is ready to welcome her," the organisation said.
The trip, including a visit to a shantytown and charity gala dinner, will be interpreted as an attempt by the first lady to stake her claim to remain Première Dame and accompany the president on an official visit to the US February 9-11.
Trierweiler is not married to Hollande. She was hospitalised for a week after Closer magazine reported that the French president was seeing Gayet.
The 49-year-old journalist has been resting at a presidential residence since leaving the hospital January 18.
Meanwhile, Hollande was visiting the Vatican Friday to meet Pope Francis and discuss international affairs and protests of French Catholics against his policies on gay marriage and abortion.
