Obama's Visit

I've mentioned in several previous blog entries my absolute admiration and love for The Obama's and our Royal Family. So imagine my absolute delight when I heard that not only Barack but Michelle as well, would be paying a visit to good old blighty! And first stop, after Ireland, was Buckingham Palace. Oh how I wish I was either a Princess or a fly on the wall for that day..

President Barack Obama and his (fashionable) wife Michelle began their state visit to Great Britain and Ireland on Monday 23^rd May 2011, arriving in Ireland 15 minutes ahead of schedule in fact! Where they were sadly greeted by a cold, blustery (have a look at the picture of Michelle’s hair! Unless it was on purpose, it’s very Jedward-esque, and they were in Ireland after all!) grey and miserable looking Dublin airport. Ahh British weather, you just can’t beat it can you! Their first stop was to meet the Irish President, Mary McAleese and her husband, with whom he planted a tree. Nice for the environment, cheers Barack! Now, don’t get me wrong I’d love to have a celebrity family member. But clinging onto an eighth cousin is, in my opinion, taking things a little too far. Nethertheless Barack Obama’s eighth cousin only bloody lives in Ireland doesn’t he. How convenient. So he scheduled in a little meeting (probably the first and last, I would imagine) to meet his eighth cousin, 26 year old Henry Healy.

Barack gave one main speech whilst over in Ireland. During which he was protected by three sides of see-through bullet proof glass, almost as if he was in a fish tank! He opened his speech with “Hello Dublin. Hello Ireland. My name is Barack Obama, of the Moneygall Obamas, and I've come home to find the apostrophe that we lost somewhere along the way.” Hahaa apostrophe. Geddit?! O’Leary, O’Donnell, O’Bama, literally side-splitting stuff right there! During he gave his speech it was decided that Barack and Michelle would have to leave earlier than expected to fly to England safely due to the Icelandic Volcanic Ash.

Aside from all of the speech giving, the political talks, tree planting and greeting the adoring public Barack and Michelle managed to fit quite a lot into their time in Ireland, including a brief game of golf, a trip to the place where is ancestor's used to live (Moneygall) watching the spectacle that is a performance from Jedward (who were described as the Irish Justin Beibers – ok then!), they also watched Westlife belt out a couple of numbers (did Louis Walsh sort the bookings out or something?!) and they knocked back the compulsory pint of Guinness (which Barack offered to pay for saying “A President pays his bar tab!” Fancy paying for mine on Saturday night as well?!) I’d say that it was a pretty successful trip in all, especially finding that long-lost-distant-relative. I mean talk about absolute bonus! Having landed in England just a little before 11pm I'm guessing he slept, there were no pictures published of him partying, but you never know, stranger things have happened!

The following day, Tuesday 24th May (Dermot O'Leary's birthday!) and not only was the sun out but so too were the Union Jack flags in the Mall, just like for the wedding, they were being flown with proud but this time awaiting for the arrival of the President and the First Lady to the Palace, not the newlyweds. Anyway, this is beside the point but apparently the tap water in Buckingham Palace was deemed "too risky" for the President to sample. Ha! C'mon Barack, fluoride is good, it strengthens the teeth! Anyway Barack and Michelle made their way over to the Palace with Charles and Camilla just before midday. Yippee. They were greeted by HRH The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. Sadly no hugs, high fives or kisses were exchanged! Now, I've always admired Michelle's fashion sense, however she let me down here. 1-0 to the Queen, in my opinion! I mean, credit where credit is due, she's nearing on 90! Anyway the Obama's were there for lunch and a banquet later on that evening. Which the table setting for which was rumoured to have taken a ridiculous 7 hours, with a tape measure being used to make sure the distances were all even. What the heck!

Next came the moment I was hoping for (well almost, I was a left a little disheartened by the fact Harry wasn't present, but you can't have it all) the moment when Barack and Michelle would meet William and Kate, sorry I mean the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Yay! I can only imagine that Kate is laughing at the ridiculous ensemble Michelle chose to wear. Whereas Kate looked as flawless as ever in a little beige (which emphasised her post-honeymoon glow) high-street number. The camel bandage dress was actually from Reiss, and cost £175, just in case you want to dress like a Princess! This was their first royal duty as a married couple, and seeing as Barack and Michelle couldn't make the wedding it was the first chance the couple had had to congratulate the newly-weds personally. A Clarence House spokeswoman said the couples spent around 20 minutes together, chatting informally, probably about the alleged Ryan Gigg's scandal I'm guessing!

William and Kate returned from their romantic honeymoon in the Seychelles at the weekend and made a special trip to the Palace just to see the President and Mrs Obama. Cute! However they decided not to attend the meal later on that evening to avoid drawing attention away from the Presidential couple! The menu of which was actually released.. Sole with watercress or lamb with roasted corguettes and radish were the main course options. I dislkie both, so it's just as well I already had other dinner arrangements of my own, which sadly meant I couldn't make the banquet last night... ahem! Unlike myself, many other celebrities could attend, and those who did included Sir Richard Branson, Tom Hanks, Kevin Spacey, John Major and Helena Bonham Carter. What a varied bunch! 

Whilst being in the UK Barack has also met with the Prime Minister and had a BBQ, visited Westminster Abbey to lay a memorial wreath, played a bit of ping-pong (as most do on State visits!) and given several speeches, one of which I've just sat through on Sky News. (I spotted Tony Blair in the audience - I think!) The only other thing that I feel worth mentioning about his trip is that he'll shortly be making his way down to Bournemouth  for a Strawberry Daiquiri with me - Barack is paying! Cheers!