Obama lines up birthday lunch with Queen on visit to Britain next month
Politics
Obama lines up birthday lunch with Queen on visit to Britain next month
President Barack Obama will have a private lunch with the Queen at Windsor Castle next month as he visits Britain. He will arrive just after the Queen celebrates her 90th birthday on April 21. In what is likely to be his last visit as US president he will also hold a joint conference with David Cameron at 10 Downing Street. It comes days after he said he shared the prime minister's desire for Britain to remain in the European Union ahead of the 23 June referendum.
The visit will allow the president to offer his gratitude to the British government and people for their stalwart partnership with his administration and the American people throughout his presidency.
White House spokesman
Mr Obama and his family have developed a close affinity with the British monarchy during his term in office. When the Queen hosted the US leader and his wife, Michelle, at Buckingham Palace during a state visit in 2011, the First Lady was seen putting her arm around the monarch's waist, showing how the women had become firm friends. Before coming to Britain, Mr Obama will visit Saudi Arabia on April 21 for a summit of Gulf countries to discuss the threat from Islamic State. After leaving Britain, the US president will travel to Germany to meet chancellor Angela Merkel and visit Hannover Messe, the world's largest trade show for industrial technology.
