Barack Obama leaves UK for France

US president’s state visit to UK hailed a success following dinner at ambassador’s house held in honour of the Queen The US president bade farewell to the UK on Thursday with a brief wave before stepping on to Air Force One. Following what is being widely viewed as a successful state visit, Barack Obama stood on the runway at a blustery Stansted airport and gave his wife a peck on the cheek before leaving for the G8 summit in Deauville. Michelle Obama returns to the US separately. Last night, the Obamas hosted a dinner in the Queen’s honour as a thank you for Tuesday’s state banquet at Buckingham Palace. More than 50 guests were invited – including the prime minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha, footballer David Beckham, actors Colin Firth and Tom Hanks, and Harry Potter author JK Rowling – to the dinner at Winfield House in Regent’s Park, the official residence of the US ambassador to Britain, Louis Susman. During his two-day visit to the UK, Obama recast the ties between the UK and America as not just special but “essential”. The president and prime minister held talks at Downing Street, where they also hosted a barbecue for military service personnel and their families. Michelle Obama visited Christ Church college at the University of Oxford, where she met pupils from the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson school in north London. She first met the students in 2009 on a surprise visit to the school, where 54% of students receive free school meals, more than nine in 10 are non-white, and more than a fifth are from refugee families. In a moving talk to the girls she told them they could succeed. “We passionately believe that you have the talent, the drive, the experience to succeed here in Oxford and in universities just like it across the country and across the world,” she said. Barack Obama Michelle Obama United States Alexandra Topping guardian.co.uk

Posted by on May 26, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.