The little Prince and the President
As Obamas pop in for dinner, he plays on rocking horse they gave to him when he was born
Shake on it, pardner: Barack Obama bobs down to say hello to Prince George at Kensington Palace last night. The youngster, looking adorable in his monogrammed dressing gown, was clearly up past his bedtime and appeared a little bewildered at meeting the most powerful man in the world
LIKE any youngster when mummy and daddy have important guests round for dinner, he was allowed to stay up a few minutes past his bedtime to meet them.
Prince George was all ready for bed when Barack and Michelle Obama arrived at Kensington Palace last night at around 7.15pm. He greeted the US President shyly with a handshake when they were introduced some 15 minutes later.
Two-year- old George couldn’t have looked cuter in a pair of freshly-pressed blue gingham pyjamas, monogrammed dressing gown and slippers with aeroplanes on.
The third in line to the throne was allowed to stay up by his parents the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge so he could thank the Obamas for a rocking horse and stuffed toy they had previously given him as gifts. His sister, 11-month-old Princess Charlotte, was already asleep.
George looked at his doting dad, Prince William, for encouragement as he stretched out his chubby little hand to the President, who had hunkered down on his heels to say ‘hi’. The young royal proudly rode the rocking horse as his mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, clapped her hands in delight and the President looked on.
He was then taken off to bed as the grown- ups, who included Prince Harry, settled down to talk before eating.
The dress code for the ‘laidback’ event was casual and informal – and William and Harry, in creased chinos and open- neck shirts, clearly took the message to heart.
Fortunately hostess Kate managed to up the ante in a floaty £325 LK Bennett dress, cinched around her tiny waist, with a matching belt and a tanzanite necklace. Mrs Obama was also elegant in a terracotta coat and dress, although her husband, fresh from meeting David Cameron, had taken off his tie.
Hands were shaken all round when the couple arrived in the rain – except that Harry, 31, in typical style, couldn’t resist planting a kiss on Mrs Obama’s cheek.
They have been working closely on the Invictus Games, a Paralympic-style event for service personnel to be held in Orlando next month. But Mr Obama still looked on somewhat warily as they shared their friendly kiss.
William and Kate opened the doors of their 22-room private apartment – number 1A – to the couple just hours after the Obamas had lunched with the Queen at Windsor Castle. It is the first time any of the young royals have entertained a head of state privately and was the most significant event they have hosted at Kensington Palace.
After posing for pictures in the courtyard, the royal trio and their guests retired to William and Kate’s apartment, which used to belong to Princess Margaret and has been refurbished for the couple using £4.5million of taxpayers’ money. Drinks were served in its drawing room, which has cream sofas littered with floral cushions, and a grand piano covered with family photographs.
The apartment has two kitchens – and as Kensington Palace doesn’t have its own catering staff, chefs and waiting staff were borrowed from Buckingham Palace.
A Kensington Palace spokesman refused to reveal what the group would be eating as it was classed as a private dinner – even though an official press release was released about the engagement and the media invited to cover it.
An aide said they would have a lot to talk about. Mrs Obama has recently worked with Kate, 34, on a mental health project. Mr Obama has also held discussions with William, 33, about anti-poaching and conservation issues.
earlier the Queen, 90 and a day, and Prince Philip welcomed the Obamas to Windsor where the President and his wife arrived by helicopter on the estate’s golf course.
And it was Philip, 94, who drove them all the 400 yards back to the castle for lunch which was by all accounts a warm and friendly affair. Mrs Obama was resplendent in a magenta and black Oscar de la renta dress.
Lunch in the private dining room lasted just 45 minutes, but the Queen was presented with a gift to mark her 90th birthday on Thursday, a custom photo album chronicling all her meetings with uS Presidents and First Ladies.
In a public address last night President Obama paid a heartfelt tribute to the Queen, calling her a ‘real jewel to the world’ and ‘one of my favourite people’.
‘A casual, informal affair’