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President Barack Obama publicly spoke about his experience with the late Queen Elizabeth II during an interview at the Inbound Conference. According to the 44th U.S President, meeting Her Majesty was a memorable event and something he was looking forward to.
“I was fortunate enough to know her, and you know, I always used to say that were only a handful of people that I met while I was in office —or afterward —that is exactly the way you want them to be. The Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela, The Queen of England,” he said.
Obama also said his mother-in-law and two daughters went to England for a vacation, and the Queen invited them to have tea at the palace. “The girls and my mother-in-law came through London probably my second year in office, and there was no expectation that they’re going to be seeing her,” he said. “Actually, Buckingham Palace reached out, and she decided to invite them over for tea.”
The politician and author said they never imagined that happening. “And so, I’ve got Malia, who at that point is eleven, Sasha who is eight, and my mother-in-law, who was a stay-at-home mom and a secretary for a bank —who lived on the south side of Chicago her whole life, sitting there with the Queen of England,” he said, adding Her Majesty wanted to treat them like royalty. “And then she insists that the girls take her golden carriage, which I guess she uses for jubilees, on a long drive through the Palace grounds. None of this was ever reported. It was just something that she did quietly.”
Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning British monarch, passed away on September 8, 2022, at 96 years old. Although her death has caused a significant impact on those who admired her devotion, grace, and dignity, the eldest child of the Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, will be forever remembered for her love for corgies, elaborated hats, and bright, colorful outfits.
Born in Mayfair in 1926, Elizabeth acceded to the throne following her father’s death in 1952. Elizabeth was in Kenya at the time of her father’s passing. She returned to the UK as Queen with her coronation taking place over a year later on June 2, 1953 at Westminster Abbey.
In 2015, Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning British monarch and in 2022 she became the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years of service.