Will glam Melania help free all political wives from scrutiny?

OVER the course of her Italian holiday Michelle Obama was ridiculed on account of her summer wardrobe.

Casual off-the-shoulder tops and torn jeans are verboten it seems in the fashion rule book governing former first ladies.

At the Nato summit the political wives had their sartorial styles put under the microscope, while the burning issue was whether sixtysomething Brigitte Macron in her Louis Vuitton eclipsed the younger Melania Trump who, departing from convention, changed into a second outfit during the long, hot and doubtless tedious day.

During her foreign trip, Melania – who has been as silent and composed as a mannequin since becoming first lady – had her every gesture scrutinised for signs of life. Questions were asked, for instance, about why she wore a mantilla to the Vatican but didn’t cover up for the Saudis.

Melania’s obstinate refusal to be anything other than a glamazon in public, highlights the inanity of the political spouse role and our conflicting expectations of it.

Political wives are clothes horses, even in retirement, but they are also required to show personality, stand solidly beside their husbands while having their own suite of personal interests and crusades.

It may be unintentional on her part but by not conforming to that stereotype, Melania, pictured, makes a compelling case for scrapping the public parade of these unelected figures altogether.