In a joint Instagram post, Barack and Michelle Obama shared a photograph of themselves with the queen and Prince Philip from 2016. They said they were "lucky enough" to get to know the queen and that she "meant a great deal" to them. The former president and first lady of the United States of America added: "Back when we were just beginning to navigate life as President and First Lady, she welcomed us to the world stage with open arms and extraordinary generosity. Time and again, we were struck by her warmth, the way she put people at ease, and how she brought her considerable humor and charm to moments of great pomp and circumstance."