Michelle Obama, girls get rare London palace tour

Damn, that really is a big deal. Apparently the Queen and Mrs Obama are quite the fast friends.

LONDON— First came the hug, then a guided tour of Buckingham Palace.

First Lady Michelle Obama, on a visit to London last week, got permission from Queen Elizabeth II for a guided tour of the palace with her daughters, Sasha and Malia.

They were shown around the queen's official residence and its gardens and the queen herself greeted them afterward, according to a royal source who spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was private.

In April, during a visit to Britain with her husband, Michele Obama made a warm impression on the queen -- so much so that the monarch strayed from protocol and briefly wrapped her arm around the first lady in a rare public show of affection.

President Obama Seeks a Proper Invitation for Queen Elizabeth to D Day Memorial

When I first heard that the Queen was left out, I was frackin' livid. My folks were in the UK during the war and my mom often told me stories about how Princess Elizabeth and her mother really, honestly contributed to the "War Effort". Good on the President.

The Obama administration is working with their French counterparts to make sure that Britain’s Queen Elizabeth — reportedly miffed, according to the British Press, at not being invited to the D-Day anniversary festivities in Normandy this weekend, gets a formal invitation.

Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, said on Monday that President Obama thinks the queen should be present at the event on Saturday. “We are working with those involved to see if we can make that happen,” Mr. Gibbs said.

Mr. Gibbs’s comments came after Buckingham Palace pointedly noted last week that the queen didn’t get an invite, an omission which has had the British press fuming. Mr. Obama is attending the event (French President Nicolas Sarkozy invited him two months ago) as is British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Mr. Sarkozy has said that the queen is welcome to come to the ceremony, but Obama administration officials say that they would like to see her receive a formal invitation.

The Queen approves. Okay?

By GottaLaff

What part of this does CNN not understand?

A Buckingham Palace spokesman who asked not to be identified because of palace policy said he could not remember the last time the queen had displayed such public affection with a first lady or dignitary.

"It was a mutual and spontaneous display of affection," he said. "We don't issue instructions on not touching the queen."

Today's top stories include: The G20 summit, President Obama's speech, Blagojevich is indicted, the House approves a budget blueprint, the economy, the economy, the economy, Afghanistan, Iraq, tobacco products will be regulated, the truth commission is on its last legs... okay, I'll stop here.

Whaddya think? Could those stories fill an hour of cable "news" [sic]? In Tee Vee Machine time, that's about 44 minutes, maybe less on cable. If you answered yes, and I answered yes, then why didn't CNN? Anderson Cooper devoted an entire segment to interviews with everyone he could drag in front of a camera about whether or not Michelle ::gasp!:: violated Queen Elizabeth.

Hold everything. No way. Anderson is at it again. It's seven minutes before the end of his show, and he's all over The Touch... again. The second time in an hour. Un. Be. Lievable.

About the First Lady touching the Queen: Once and for all...

By GottaLaff

Yesterday, I posted about how every British correspondent questioned unconditionally confirmed to CNN (et al.) that it was A-OK for Michelle Obama to ::gasp!:: touch the Queen, and that no protocol was breached. Need more proof, media punditiots? Here you go:

First lady Michelle Obama did not breach protocol by touching Queen Elizabeth II at a reception for world leaders attending the G-20 summit, Buckingham Palace told CNN Thursday.

"It was a mutual and spontaneous display of affection and appreciation between the Queen and Michelle Obama," the Royal Press Office said in a statement Thursday. "The London Summit reception at Buckingham Palace was an informal occasion," the statement also said.

No breach of protocol occurred, according to the Royal Press Office, because Buckingham Palace does not issue instructions about how to address the Queen.

Clear? Clear. Now turn your attention to things that matter. And try reporting actual news, and if you choose to finally do that, try doing so accurately for once.

Freakout Over President Obama’s iPod Gift

The Queen requested the damn thing. And about that "gaffe" where Mrs Obama touched the Queen's back, if it were Mrs Bush the wingers would be all screaming in approval of her dominance over the monarchy we defeated. Asswipies. h/t Oliver.

Shallow Thoughts: The Queen and the First Lady edition

By GottaLaff

Today's Shallow Thought:

How many times do British correspondents have to assure CNN anchors that Michelle Obama's touching the Queen is perfectly acceptable? The world will not end, British/American relations are still dandy, this was not a breach of protocol, and the Queen clearly enjoyed the Obamas' company. Give it up. There's no story there... as usual.

Okay? Okay.

That was today's Shallow Thought. Thank you for wading in.

Caption This

Oh, I wish I were Water Tiger, 'cause there's a story in Prince Phillip's face. Click to enlarge, pic via.

Added- Raw video with audible chit chat and Prince Phillip still looking ticked. Hysterical.

Sen. Kennedy to be knighted

Not sure about the company he'll be in, but at least Teddy deserves it.

Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) will be awarded an honorary knighthood, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is to announce during his speech to both houses of Congress on Wednesday.

Kennedy, who is suffering from a malignant brain tumor, is receiving the honor because of his work in the Northern Ireland peace process and toward British-American relations in general.

(snip)

Previously political recipients of the knighthood include former President George H.W. Bush and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.