Aside from being not invited to Prince William and Kate Middleton's 2011 royal wedding, the former President and First Lady of the United States Barack and Michelle Obama also experienced Prince Philip's so-called rude behavior. Unearth reports revealed that when the two gentlemen met for the first time in 2009, the Duke of Edinburgh misbehaved in front of the first Africa-American POTUS.
In a 2009 report by the Independent, unearthed by Express, Queen Elizabeth II's husband, reportedly, "behaved in a rude manner" during his first meeting with the Democratic Party politician. His Royal Highness, who is about to turn 99 in June, has been known for his one-liners and unconventional behavior, and his direct talks and undiplomatic language always lead to controversies, putting him in hot water.
So, when Barack and Michelle Obama first set foot in Buckingham Palace in 2009, they, reportedly, also fell victim to Prince Philip's rude behavior. The couple was ushered to a room within Queen Elizabeth's private apartments without advisories, aides, and palace staff to be beyond the prying eyes of the press.
Here, Prince Philip showed his uncanny knack for giving his opinion about the state visit, offering his "forthright observations." As Barack and Michelle Obama talked to Queen Elizabeth about their hectic schedule, the Royal Knight of the Garter chimed in and said, "You're just trying to stay awake!"
The remarks didn't even end with that. When Barack Obama listed his meetings with the Russian President and David Cameron, Prince Philip cut in again and asked him if he could tell the difference between these people. Despite what happened, Barack remained professional and didn't mind the duke's behavior. He might have even considered the meeting as a special privilege for guests like them.
Aside from this event, Barack and Michelle Obama were also not invited to attend Prince William and Kate Middleton's royal wedding in 2011 after Queen Elizabeth sent invitations to 40 head of states. Why? It was said to be because of their added security costs that the monarchy had to shoulder to protect the then-President.
However, Daily Mail reported in 2011 that the British government just organized a state visit for the following month to make it up with the Obamas. It was also not just them who didn't receive an invitation.
French Prime Minister Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni also didn't make it to the event after being uninvited. Prince Andrew's former wife, Sarah Ferguson, was also not there, along with former Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
