Hello everyone! Hope that you are having a lovely Tuesday. A couple of videos are now available of President Obama and First Lady of the United States arriving at the Buckingham Palace today.
Following an overnight stay at Whitfield House, the official residence of the American Ambassador, The Obama's proceed to Buckingham Palace where they meet the Queen and Prince Phillip.
President Barack Obama & Queen Elizabeth take the Salute at Buckingham Palace, only the 2nd State visit extended to American Presidents.
President Barack Obama (L) and first lady Michelle Obama (R) talk to Britain's Prince William (2nd L) and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace, in London May 24, 2011.
Credit: REUTERS/Toby Melville
(Reuters) - President Barack Obama received a royal 41-gun salute at Buckingham Palace Tuesday to begin a two-day state visit aimed at ensuring the United States and Britain keep the "special" in their relationship.
The royal family, who just last month enthralled the world with a wedding for Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, gave Obama and his wife Michelle a taste of carefully choreographed pomp and pageantry.
Ceremonial cannon sounded 41 blasts as Queen Elizabeth, her husband Prince Philip, heir to the throne Prince Charles and Charles's wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, escorted the Obamas onto the palace's west terrace for a formal arrival ceremony.
Obama is on the second stop of a four-nation European tour, arriving from Ireland late on Monday and planning to attend a Group of Eight summit in Deauville, France Thursday and end the week in Poland.
While the two governments have some differences over such issues as Libya, for example -- where Obama is seen as less eager than Europeans to lead the battle -- he and Prime Minister David Cameron stressed the unique status of U.S.-British relations in an opinion article in the Times of London.
Thoughtful gifts
“‘The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh gave President Obama copies of letters from the Royal Archives to and from a number of Presidents of the USA to Queen Victoria, commencing with a letter from John Quincy Adams writing to Princess Victoria in 1834. The final letter in the collection was written by William McKinley in 1897 to Queen Victoria marking her Diamond Jubilee year. The volume includes letters and watercolours regarding The Prince of Wales’ trip to the US in 1860 and letters in response to the death of the Prince Consort and Abraham Lincoln. The documents were bound in a red leather book.
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh gave Mrs Obama an antique brooch in the form of a rose made of gold and red coral, presented in a red leather jewel box.
The President and Mrs Obama gave The Queen a leather-bound album containing rare memorabilia and photographs in chronicalling King George VI and Queen Elizabeth’s visit to the United States in 1939.
The President and Mrs Obama gave The Duke of Edinburgh a custom-made set of Fell Pony bits and shanks, as well as original horseshoes worn by recently retired champion carriage horse Jamaica. A slaughterhouse rescue horse, Jamaica rose to the top of carriage horse competition and was named the 2008 United States Equestrian Federation Horse of the Year.”‘
A couple of White House photos from yesterday's visit in Ireland:
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama greet people as they walk along Main Street in Moneygall, Ireland, May 23, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
President Barack Obama watches as First Lady Michelle Obama draws a pint at Ollie Hayes’ Pub in Moneygall, Ireland, May 23, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Look for a couple more White House photo diaries as the week progresses. ;)