Barack Obama Pays Tribute To Bond With Britain That Endures

Concluding a highly successful first day of his State visit, Mr Obama said he wanted to reinforce the special relationship. The Queen told 170 guests at the State banquet that the world was a more secure place when "the United States and the United Kingdom stand together.Earlier the president and his wife, Michelle, met the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – fresh from their honeymoon in the Seychelles  and quickly established a rapport. Looking tanned and relaxed, the Duke and Duchess, carrying out their first official duty as a married couple, spent around 20 minutes chatting to the Obamas at the Palace. Mr Obama was given full State honours, including a 41-gun salute from Green Park, after being welcomed by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. He was only the third US president to be afforded the honour.