LONDON—Most people send a card, call, or post on Facebook for someone’s birthday, but President Barack Obama has gone the extra mile — thousands of miles, actually — to deliver 90th birthday greetings to Queen Elizabeth II over lunch at Windsor Castle.
Britain’s oldest and longest-serving monarch celebrated her birthday Thursday, the same day Obama opened what likely is the final visit here of his presidency.
The two heads of state were sitting down to lunch Friday at the castle, west of London. Afterward, Obama planned to have dinner with Prince William, his wife Kate and brother Prince Harry at the younger royals’ Kensington Palace home in central London. William is second in line to inherit the British throne after his father, Prince Charles.
Obama’s wife, Michelle, was flying in from Washington to attend the royal engagements. The queen’s husband, Prince Philip, was also attending the lunch.
Obama was breaking up his royal holiday with a stop at 10 Downing St. for talks with Prime Minister David Cameron about the multinational campaign against the Islamic State group, as well as counterterrorism efforts, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, the global economy, Russia’s stance toward Ukraine and other issues
Political issues in the United Kingdom and the U.S., including Britain’s possible exit from the European Union, or Brexit, are on the agenda, along with the U.S. presidential campaign that will determine Obama’s successor.
