The Americans may be proud of the seeming popularity of their new President as he gallavants round the world from one country to the next.
But he is NOT the world's greatest Head of State. That honour must undoubtedly go to Queen Elizabeth II. While Obama struck awe in most of the people he met, it was him who was left awestruck after meeting Her Majesty.
And while a president such as Silvio Berlusconi embarrassed himself and his nation (just as Dubya has done in the past), the Queen, as usual, did everything that she had to do perfectly, doing us proud.
Lorraine Kelly
Saturday 4th April 2009
The Sun
The real deal ... Barack and Michelle Obama meet Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday
The woman who struck awe in the world's most powerful man
WITH their private jet, vast entourage, a beast of a limo and A-list celebrity status, the Obamas were rather like royalty bestowing a duty visit on their threadbare cousins, Mr and Mrs Brown.
But for all the star power of our glamorous American visitors, we Brits had an ace up our sleeves.
Barack and Michelle may appear to be regal, but over here we have the real thing.
So while Number 10 might be rather shabby compared to the West Wing of the White House, and while protesters did all they could to scupper the G20 talks and embarrass our PM, he was still able to trump the Yanks thanks to our number one asset — HM The Queen.
She might keep her cornflakes in Tupperware boxes and prefer to wear a headscarf, tweeds and wellies while tramping through the Scottish heather, but, when she really needs to put on a show, no one does it like Her Maj.
Stylish ... Michelle Obama and Sarah Brown
She made sure Buckingham Palace acquired a gilded regal splendour, the best china was duly dusted down and the crystal and silver buffed until it sparkled.
The Queen herself was, as usual, impeccably gowned, coiffed and wearing her famous pearls and a brooch that probably cost as much as a banker’s pension.
As a result, our 82-year-old monarch reduced the most powerful man in the world to a grinning bag of nerves.
Dazed
The formidable Michelle — who has remained airily unfazed by her husband’s elevation to President of the United States — was especially anxious about meeting the Queen and all but lost her famous poise.
If you look at the souvenir photos, the President and First Lady both have that slightly bedazzled and foolishly dazed look that tends to come over anyone in the Queen’s orbit. Of course Her Maj is a dab hand at putting people at ease and soon had them both eating out of her hand. Michelle eventually felt comfortable enough to give the Queen a cuddle (even though it is against protocol to touch the Queen).
The Obamas also neatly managed to avoid the thorny problem of what to get the woman who really does have everything. They presented the Queen with an iPod containing photos and a video of her last state visit to the US in 2007.
This was a really thoughtful prezzie and one that the Queen — who takes a keen interest in new technology — will be rather tickled and touched by.
The meeting was such a big success that while the G20 leaders huffed and puffed, and their overblown egos clashed as they tried to grapple with the economic crisis, you can bet your bottom dollar that the first thing Obama did when he returned to Washington was to show everyone the photo he had taken standing beside the Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
thesun.co.uk
But he is NOT the world's greatest Head of State. That honour must undoubtedly go to Queen Elizabeth II. While Obama struck awe in most of the people he met, it was him who was left awestruck after meeting Her Majesty.
And while a president such as Silvio Berlusconi embarrassed himself and his nation (just as Dubya has done in the past), the Queen, as usual, did everything that she had to do perfectly, doing us proud.
Lorraine Kelly
Saturday 4th April 2009
The Sun
The real deal ... Barack and Michelle Obama meet Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday
The woman who struck awe in the world's most powerful man
WITH their private jet, vast entourage, a beast of a limo and A-list celebrity status, the Obamas were rather like royalty bestowing a duty visit on their threadbare cousins, Mr and Mrs Brown.
But for all the star power of our glamorous American visitors, we Brits had an ace up our sleeves.
Barack and Michelle may appear to be regal, but over here we have the real thing.
So while Number 10 might be rather shabby compared to the West Wing of the White House, and while protesters did all they could to scupper the G20 talks and embarrass our PM, he was still able to trump the Yanks thanks to our number one asset — HM The Queen.
She might keep her cornflakes in Tupperware boxes and prefer to wear a headscarf, tweeds and wellies while tramping through the Scottish heather, but, when she really needs to put on a show, no one does it like Her Maj.
Stylish ... Michelle Obama and Sarah Brown
She made sure Buckingham Palace acquired a gilded regal splendour, the best china was duly dusted down and the crystal and silver buffed until it sparkled.
The Queen herself was, as usual, impeccably gowned, coiffed and wearing her famous pearls and a brooch that probably cost as much as a banker’s pension.
As a result, our 82-year-old monarch reduced the most powerful man in the world to a grinning bag of nerves.
Dazed
The formidable Michelle — who has remained airily unfazed by her husband’s elevation to President of the United States — was especially anxious about meeting the Queen and all but lost her famous poise.
If you look at the souvenir photos, the President and First Lady both have that slightly bedazzled and foolishly dazed look that tends to come over anyone in the Queen’s orbit. Of course Her Maj is a dab hand at putting people at ease and soon had them both eating out of her hand. Michelle eventually felt comfortable enough to give the Queen a cuddle (even though it is against protocol to touch the Queen).
The Obamas also neatly managed to avoid the thorny problem of what to get the woman who really does have everything. They presented the Queen with an iPod containing photos and a video of her last state visit to the US in 2007.
This was a really thoughtful prezzie and one that the Queen — who takes a keen interest in new technology — will be rather tickled and touched by.
The meeting was such a big success that while the G20 leaders huffed and puffed, and their overblown egos clashed as they tried to grapple with the economic crisis, you can bet your bottom dollar that the first thing Obama did when he returned to Washington was to show everyone the photo he had taken standing beside the Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
thesun.co.uk