President Barack Obama and wife Michelle swept into the British Royal residence in their chauffeur-driven car – known as The Beast – for private talks with the Monarch. The Queen was meeting Obama ahead of a Palace reception for G20 leaders and other international organizations.
Obama waved to photographers as he left his the car in the grounds of the Palace. He and his wife looked relaxed as they were greeted on the steps of the Garden Entrance by the Master of the Household Air Vice-Marshal David Walker.So what does one get a queen?
The President and First Lady gave Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II a video iPod with inscription, songs uploaded and accessories, plus a rare musical songbook signed by Richard Rodgers.
Uploaded onto the iPod:
-Photos from the Queen’s 2007 White House State Visit
-Photos from the Queen’s 2007 Jamestown, Va., Visit
-Photos from the Queen’s 2007 Richmond, Va., Visit
-Video from the Queen’s 1957 Jamestown Visit
-Video from the Queen’s 2007 Jamestown Visit
-Video from the Queen’s 2007 Richmond Visit
-Photos from President Obama’s Inauguration
-Audio of then-state senator Obama’s speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, and
-Audio of President Obama 2009 Inauguration Address
Britain’s Press Association reports that the Royal couple gave the Obamas “a silver-framed, signed photograph of themselves.”
Earlier today the President spoke of his admiration for the Queen.
Her “decency and civility” were important to people across the US, he said.
And he revealed that he and his wife were looking forward to meeting the Queen.
Obama said: “There’s a last thing I should mention about Great Britain and that’s the Queen, so I am very much looking forward to meeting her for the first time later this evening.
“As you might imagine, Michelle has been really thinking about it too.
“I think in the imagination of people throughout America, what the Queen stands for, her decency and her civility and what she represents is very important.”
The informal chat between the Queen, aged 82, and the president, 47, was an opportunity for the pair to talk freely.
They were joined by the Duke of Edinburgh, 87, and Michelle Obama, 45.
The two couples met in a room within the Queen’s private apartments without advisers, aides or Palace staff.
During the Queen’s reign there have been 12 US presidents and she has met all of them, except Lyndon B Johnson.
The setting for this evening’s G20 reception was formal but the idea was for the atmosphere to be informal to allow the politicians to relax before the major summit tomorrow.
The reception was attended by world leaders including Gordon Brown, Russian president Dimitry Medvedev, his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy, German chancellor Angela Merkel, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso.
Palace staff served canapés made by chefs from the royal kitchens and drinks – red and white wine, apple and orange juice and still water – were on offer.
The Queen was expected to mingle among the guests during the 75-minute long royal reception.
Each G20 nation and the international organisations were allocated up to five guests and around 150 were expected to attend.
The reception was due to finish with a group photo of the world leaders with the Queen.
{Elisha Ferber-Matzav.com Newscenter/Daily Mail/ABC News}
