Melania bowls Britain over
Special relationship blossoms as First Lady dons Victoria Beckham dress to enjoy gentle game with schoolchildren - and even high-fives a Chelsea Pensioner!
Melania Trump showed off her playful side as she tried her hand at bowls during a visit to the Royal Hospital Chelsea on Friday morning.
The First Lady, 48, joined Philip May, 60, for the game with the Chelsea Pensioners and a group of local schoolchildren.
Mrs Trump, who wore a £1,550 Victoria Beckham dress and 5-inch heels for the engagement, threw herself into the spirit of the competition, groaning with frustration when her turn went awry. She clapped as Mr May stepped onto the green and later celebrated by high-fiving a uniformed Chelsea Pensioner, much to his delight.
Earlier Mr May and Mrs Trump joined the children in making Remembrance Day poppies. Mrs Trump stepped out on her own this morning as President Trump and Theresa May attended a military display before meeting at Chequers for crucial talks.
Mrs Trump will later rejoin her husband for a private audience with the Queen at Windsor Castle. Mrs Trump and Mr May appeared to be getting on famously as they took part in the activity outside the hospital.
Journalists attending the event had been advised to wear flat shoes but Mrs Trump opted for a pair of towering nude stilettos, believed to be a £ 583 pair by celebrity shoe designer Christian Louboutin, a label that the first lady has worn multiple times during this trip. The sleek nude shoes perfectly complimented her bold, colour-block dress by British designer Beckham.
Despite her polished look, the First Lady was eager to join in with the fun and expertly teetered across the grass to play. Under the instruction of one of the schoolchildren, she crouched down and rolled the bowl across the green. She bowled four times, smiling throughout, while the light breeze blew her hair back from her face. Mrs Trump and Mr May later shared a joke as they waved British and American flags during a photocall.
After the poppy making, Mrs Trump listened to school children talk about values and service. Mrs Trump sat beside Mr May in front of a poster which said 'Be the best you can be'.
Before she took to the bowling green, Mrs Trump met school children from Saint George's Church of England primary school who were making Remembrance Day poppies. When she arrived into the room, she said 'good morning' and asked the children if they would like to show her how to make the poppies.
Mrs Trump, mother to 12-yearold Barron, looked in her element as she leaned down to watch the children at work. She later had a go at making one and jokingly said it looked 'very professional' when she showed Mr May her first attempt.
The Royal Hospital Chelsea was founded as a retirement home for soldiers by King Charles II in 1682, and the Chelsea pensioners are famous for their distinctive scarlet coats.
Before Mrs Trump's arrival, waiting media were told not to shout out questions.
The First Lady was greeted by Mr May when she stepped out of her vehicle which was preceded on the route to the hospital by at least four police outriders.
Slovenian- born former model Mrs Trump and Oxford graduate Mr May made for an unlikely pairing on Friday morning, but greeted each other warmly and appeared relaxed in each other's company.