Michelle Obama tells of 'awkward' moment Melania Trump gave her a gift on inauguration day... and reveals what was inside the Tiffany box

Melania Trump caused confusion as she handed Michella Obama a large Tiffany-blue gift the 2017 Inauguration
Getty Images
Ella Wills1 February 2018

Michelle Obama has broken her silence on what was inside a large Tiffany-blue box gifted to her by Melania Trump before the president's inauguration.

After more than a year, she revealed the mysterious present was a picture frame.

The former First Lady relived the awkward exchange in a recent appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres show.

The encounter delighted millions of people watching Donald Trump's Inauguration Day in January last year.

Mrs Trump handed the box to Mrs Obama as she and Mr Trump greeted the couple.

But her gift caused some confusion as the two couples were supposed to pose for a photograph.

A panicked Mrs Obama was left glancing in all directions for somewhere to deposit the box until Mr Obama took it inside the White House.

In her first television interview since Mr Trump's inauguration, the former First Lady finally disclosed its contents.

Melania Trump emerged from a black limousine holding a mysterious gift
Getty Images

"It was a lovely frame," she said, on Ellen's 60th birthday show, which will be broadcast in the US on Thursday.

She added: "There's all this protocol. This is like a state visit, so they tell you you're gonna do this, they're gonna stand here. And never before do you get this gift.

"So, I'm like okay... What am I supposed to do with this gift?

"No one would come and take the box, and I'm thinking do we take the picture with it?

"And then my husband saved the day – see he grabbed the box and took it back inside. But everybody cleared out. No staff, no one. I was like what do you do with the box?"

The couples met to share tea before the swearing-in ceremony for President-elect Trump on January 20, 2017.

Ellen's two-part birthday special, to air on February 1 and 2, will also feature Jennifer Aniston.

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