Former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi dressed up as an exotic dancer last week to spring his wife a romantic birthday surprise, according to a
Moroccan newspaper. Aujourd'hui le Maroc said Berlusconi treated former actress Veronica Lario to a trip to Marrakech for her birthday but told her he had to stay in Italy to work.
Instead he went out on a separate flight, disguised himself as a traditional Moroccan Gnawa dancer and took his sweetheart unawares at a famous restaurant in the city. "With a little warrior leap, he bounced in front of her and invited her to dance," Aujourd'hui le Maroc reported.
"But she resolutely refused and the music suddenly stopped.
"At that point he got even closer to Veronica, took a diamond necklace out of his pocket and sang 'Happy birthday my love' to her in Italian".
The daily said the surprise was the climax of a fun-packed two-day stay Berlusconi organized for his wife in the Moroccan city.
Berlusconi has been married for 16 years to Lario, whose main claim to fame before her marriage was a scantily-clad appearance in a cult film by Italian goremeister Dario Argento.
The couple have three children.
Berlusconi has two adult children from his first marriage to Carla Dall'Oglio who have been groomed to take over his business empire.
