Barack Obama compares Queen to his grandmom in touching video, reveals she gave Malia and Sasha a golden carriage ride
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Former US president Barack Obama, who was unable to attend Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, recalled his trip to the UK and how the late monarch won him over with her "generosity" at the time. Barack was amazed by the late Queen's hospitality toward her visitors and recalled one instance of her kindness toward his daughters, Malia and Sasha.
Barack and his wife, Michelle Obama, had only begun adapting to their new duties as president and first lady when they first paid a visit to the UK. On Monday, September 19, recalling the moment, Barack tweeted a video and offered condolences for the Queen's death. "Michelle and I were lucky enough to know Her Majesty The Queen. Back when we were just beginning to navigate life as President and First Lady, she welcomed us to the world stage with extraordinary generosity. Our thoughts are with the Royal Family and those mourning her passing."
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Barack speaks in the video while clips of his encounters with the Queen are displayed. He adds, "The first time I met the Queen was visiting London. She reminded me very much of my grandmother - which surprised me, not just in appearance but also in manner. Very gracious, but also no nonsense. Wry sense of humor. She could not have been more kind or thoughtful to me and Michelle."
Michelle and I were lucky enough to know Her Majesty The Queen. Back when we were just beginning to navigate life as President and First Lady, she welcomed us to the world stage with extraordinary generosity. Our thoughts are with the Royal Family and those mourning her passing. pic.twitter.com/pHzpUJwgYb
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 19, 2022
Barack continued by remembering the Queen's compassion for his family while they were in London without him, saying, "Michelle and Malia and Sasha my two daughters had an occasion to go back to England. Buckingham Palace reached out and Her Majesty had invited Michelle and the two girls to tea."
Barack added, "She then offered the girls to drive in her golden carriage around the grounds of Buckingham Palace. It was the sort of generosity and consideration that left a mark in my daughters' lives that's still there." He also claimed that Queen Elizabeth was a wonderful listener along with possessing an excellent talent of making sure that her visitors never overstayed.
Barack said, "The Queen was an excellent listener. She had a genuine curiosity, although she was impatient to get to the point. She was very mindful of guests at Buckingham Palace not outstaying their welcome, she was looking at her watch and then at some point said, 'Well okay, it's time to go.' And the same was true if she was a guest, she wasn't interested in overstaying her welcome."
Barack concluded the message by saying, "The combination of a clear sense of duty and understanding her role as a symbol of a nation and the carrier of a certain set of values combined with a very human quality of kindness and consideration I think that's what made her so beloved. Not just in Great Britain but around the world."
Barack did not receive an invitation to the funeral, nor did former US Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W Bush or Donald Trump. This was because the UK government opted to limit invitations to current heads of state and their spouses or partners rather than allowing each nation to send a delegation composed of individuals of their choosing, according to the Daily Beast.
US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill arrive at Westminster Abbey for Queen Elizabeth II's funeral https://t.co/vzkzceLCY6 pic.twitter.com/ei3gH9tW9p
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) September 19, 2022