The Queen reportedly 'has a soft spot for Americans' since meeting Barack Obama, and has even asked if he'll come to the UK for another visit
- Queen Elizabeth has had a "soft spot for Americans" ever since meeting former US President Barack Obama, according to a new book.
- In "Kensington Palace: An Intimate Memoir from Queen Mary to Meghan Markle," a former palace employee said the Queen has even requested for Obama to return to the UK for another visit.
- Barack and Michelle Obama visited the royal family three times between 2009 and 2016, however, they have not returned since leaving office.
- Buckingham Palace declined to comment when contacted by Insider.
Queen Elizabeth has reportedly had a "soft spot for Americans" ever since meeting former President Barack Obama in 2009.
A former employee told royal author Tom Quinn that Her Majesty has even requested Obama to come back to the UK for a visit, even though he is no longer president.
"The Queen has a soft spot for Americans after meeting Barack Obama who she completely fell in love with – so much so that she has frequently asked her courtiers if they could arrange for him to come to Britain now he is no longer president," the former employee said in the new book, "Kensington Palace: An Intimate Memoir from Queen Mary to Meghan Markle."
The Queen usually hosts world leaders and presidents for official state visits to the UK, however, it would be unusual for Her Majesty to host a former president no longer in office.
The monarch first met Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama during the couple's visit to Buckingham Palace in 2009. The couple returned in 2011, and were also introduced to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, before returning for a final time in 2016.
The Queen also appeared to have established a close relationship with Michelle Obama through the years.
The women were photographed with their arms around one another during a visit in 2009 — a move which caused major backlash among the press, who claimed that the First Lady had broken protocol.
However, years later, the Queen's dressmaker Angela Kelly said this wasn't the case at all.
"Much has been made about the meeting between Michelle and Her Majesty, when an instant and mutual warmth was shared between these two remarkable women, and protocol was seemingly 'abandoned' as they stood closely with their arms around each other's backs," Kelly wrote in the 2009 book, "The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, The Dresser, and The Wardrobe."
"In reality, it was a natural instinct for the Queen to show affection and respect for another great woman, and really there is no protocol that must be adhered to.
"When fondness is felt or the host of a state visit goes to guide Her Majesty up some steps, it truly is about human kindness, and this is something the Queen will always welcome warmly," she added.
Buckingham Palace declined to comment when contacted by Insider.
Read more:
Queen Elizabeth appears to have forgotten how many great-grandchildren she has
Read the original article on Insider