Meet royal couple, visit Number 10

US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle yesterday basked in the lavish royal pageantry of a state visit to Britain, given an extra dash of glamour by a brief encounter with Prince William and his new wife Catherine.

The President and his wife were welcomed by Queen Elizabeth II and a 41-gun salute in the gardens of Buckingham Palace at the start of a two-day visit that will mix pomp with serious diplomacy.

Mr Obama’s time in London will include talks with Prime Minister David Cameron aimed in part at spurring a push for democracy in the wake of the Arab Spring.

Before the official welcome, the President and his wife had a brief meeting with William and Catherine, now known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, less than a month after watching their fairytale wedding on television.

In a picture released afterwards, Catherine, wearing a pale coffee-coloured dress with capped sleeves and looking tanned after her honeymoon in the Seychelles, chatted with the First Lady while the Prince talked with Mr Obama.

The Obamas were not invited to the wedding because Prince William is not heir to the throne, he is second in line after his father, Prince Charles and the meeting was the first chance for them to congratulate the royal couple.

Mr Obama and his wife later in the day visited the Camerons in Downing Street as their frantic state visit continued.

The US President and his wife travelled to Number 10 after laying a wreath on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Westminster Abbey.

Mrs Obama was in her second outfit of the day - a plum dress and blue coat, whereas Samantha Cameron wore a white and black cap-sleeved dress.

Mr Obama and Mr Cameron played a game of table tennis as they visited the Globe Academy school in London.

Later, the Queen feted Mr Obama with all the trappings of a state dinner and the Obamas stayed in the palace’s sumptuous Belgian suite, last used by Prince William and the former Kate Middleton on the night of their April 29 wedding. Mr Obama took time out to say he was “heartbroken” at the toll of vicious tornados which ripped across the US midwest, killing at least 116 people.

Today, the President will be granted the rare honour of addressing both houses of the British Parliament.