US President Barack Obama has been welcomed to Buckingham Palace by the Queen on his first state visit to Britain.



The American leader has a busy round of political talks and meetings during his high profile three-day stay, as well as a lavish state banquet and a meeting with the newly-married Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

The state visit is only the third by a US president to the UK in 100 years and comes at a time of close co-operation between Britain and America on issues ranging from Libya to Afghanistan, counter-terrorism and the Middle East peace process.

In a joint article written for The Times by Mr Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron declared: "Ours is not just a special relationship, it is an essential relationship - for us and for the world."

At the red carpeted Grand Entrance of the Palace, the President and the First Lady Michelle Obama were greeted by the monarch and the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Obamas formed a strong bond with the royal couple following their visit during the G20 summit two years ago when, after a photocall for leaders, the monarch and Mrs Obama were seen putting their arms around each other's backs.

Sharing an interest in countryside, gardening and clothes, the Queen and the President's wife kept in touch by letter and phone and Mrs Obama even returned for a private trip to the Palace later in the year.

The President told the BBC ahead of his visit that the Queen symbolised the "best of England" to the whole world and described the monarch and her husband as "extraordinarily gracious people".

Following the ceremonial welcome, the visitors will join the Queen and Philip for lunch and then view a special exhibition in the royal picture gallery, before a wreath-laying visit to Westminster Abbey, a trip to Downing Street and a state banquet this evening.

Wednesday will be devoted to politics, with talks between Mr Obama and Mr Cameron at 10 Downing Street, followed by an address to both Houses of Parliament, in which the president is expected to say that the US has no closer ally in the world than Britain.