Barack Obama surprised his wife Michelle with a touching video message praising her “strength, grace and honesty” on the couple’s anniversary.
Michelle was speaking alongside Grey’s Anatomy producer Shonda Rhimes at the Pennsylvania Conference for Women on Tuesday – where she discussed the pressures of living in the White House and female empowerment.
At the end of the talk, Ms Rhimes told her they had a surprise for her to mark her 25th wedding anniversary with her husband.
Amid gasps of delight from the audience, the former US President’s face popped up on the big screen.
“Hey honey,” he said. “Listen I know you are with all these important Pennsylvanian women and you are sharing the stage with our buddy Shonda Rhimes but I had to crash this party because today we have been married 25 years.
“The idea that you would put up with me for a quarter of a century is a remarkable testament to what a saintly, wonderful, patient person you are.”
He praised her for being “an extraordinary partner, a great friend, somebody who could always make me laugh, somebody who could always make sure that I was following what I thought was right” as well as “an example to our daughters and to the entire country”.
“Your strength, your grace, your determination and your honestly, the fact that you look so good doing all this … it’s no wonder that, as people got to know you the way I got to know you, they fell in love.
The Obama Family Album - In pictures
He ended the adorable message by saying: “It is truly the best decision that I ever made to be persistent enough asking you out for a date that you finally gave in - and I hope that you feel the same way.
“So, I don’t want to interrupt the flow of what I am sure is a fascinating discussion but I figured that you wouldn’t mind me parachuting in just to say how much I love you.”
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On their wedding anniversary on Tuesday, the former First Lady shared a picture of her wedding day on Instagram and wrote: “Happy 25th anniversary @barackobama. A quarter of a century later, you're still my best friend & the most extraordinary man I know. I 💕 you.”
