For a couple accustomed to royal duties and high-profile appearances, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s first engagement was refreshingly simple: a brief but historic meeting with the Obamas.
On May 24, 2011, former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama arrived in London as part of a six-day European tour (via BBC). They arrived a day early due to a volcanic ash cloud threatening travel, marking Obama’s first official state visit to the United Kingdom. Their trip began with a royal welcome reception featuring a 41-gun salute. They were received by the late Queen Elizabeth II, whose warm relationship with the Obamas is well documented. In fact, President Obama reportedly kept the Queen up past her bedtime during the state banquet later that evening.
That morning, the Obamas also met with the William and Catherine, Prince and Princess of Wales, at Buckingham Palace, per The Royal Family. Fresh off their honeymoon in the Seychelles, this meeting was the young royals’ first introduction to President Obama. Since heads of state were not invited to the 2011 royal wedding (as Prince William famously tore up the official guest list in favor of a more personal celebration), this meeting doubled as Prince William and Kate Middleton’s first engagement as a royal couple. While it was a short 20-minute chat, this interaction offered an early glimpse of the future king and queen stepping into their roles as key players in the monarchy.
The Royal Couple’s 2011 Visit
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Barack and Michelle Obama’s 2011 state visit to the United Kingdom was steeped in royal tradition. The former First Couple resided in the Belgian Suite, a luxurious set of six rooms reserved for high-profile guests such as heads of state (via Daily Mail). It is considered to be the most lavish accommodation available at Buckingham Palace. Interestingly, this suite had been used by Prince William and Kate Middleton on their wedding night just a month prior, highlighting its significance when it comes to Royal residences.
While there are no specifics about the 20-minute conversation between the Obamas and the Prince and Princess of Wales, at that time known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, an anonymous royal source shed some light on the relationship between the two families. “Very warm words have been spoken between the royal family and the Obamas,” they revealed, adding that “a genuine warmth exists between the two families” (via Politico).
Given that the late Queen Elizabeth II herself meticulously planned the details of Obama’s state visit, this meeting was a symbolic moment that introduced William and Kate as a power couple who would go on to become popular figures in the monarchy. This historic meeting also laid the foundation for future interactions, including Prince William’s 2014 visit to the White House, which further cemented the US and UK’s transatlantic partnership, according to the BBC.
