President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca has announced that she will bizarrely allow her official residence to be used for pre-wedding photo-shoots.

San Anton Palace from now onwards can be used by couples, including gays and lesbians who can now tie the knot after she signed the bill on civil unions approved by Parliament, to pose for photographs before they get married, she said.

The announcement was made on the One News programme One Night Stand, presented by Owen Bonnici, in what can be described as another poor decision by the Head of State, given the nature of the programme in which the presenter has in the past asked many intimate questions to his female guests.

The proceeds from the pre-wedding photo-shoots will go in aid of the Community Chest Fund.

Less than one month into her term as head of state, Mrs Coleiro Preca has already been involved in controversial issues, including the signing of the said bill and also her decision not to participate in the ceremony in which two popes with Malta connections were canonised at the Vatican last Sunday.