Barack Obama has paid a heartfelt tribute to his wife Michelle in honour of their 25th wedding anniversary. On Tuesday, the former President interrupted Michelle's appearance at the Pennsylvania Conference for Women. In a video, which suddenly played in the background, the father-of-two said: "I had to crash this party because today we have been married for 25 years. The idea that you would put up with me for a quarter of a century is a remarkable testament to what a saintly, wonderful, patient person you are."
The former President and First Lady tied the knot in 1992
See Michelle Obama's sweet message to husband Barack
He added: "It was a lot easier for me to do it, because the fact of the matter is that not only have you been an extraordinary partner, not only have you been a great friend, somebody who could always make me laugh, somebody who would always make sure that I was following what I thought was right, but you have also been an example to our daughters and to the entire country." The pair first met in 1989 and dated for three years before exchanging vows on October 3, 1992.
"It is truly the best decision that I ever made to be persistent enough in asking you out for a date," he continued, before concluding: "So, don’t want to interrupt the flow of what I’m sure is a fascinating discussion, but I figured that you wouldn’t mind maybe me parachuting in just to say how much I love you, how much I appreciate you, and to all the women in the audience, thanks for your indulgence."
GALLERY: Barack and Michelle's love story
To mark the special occasion, former First Lady Michelle took her social media pages to share a black-and-white throwback picture from their wedding day. In the caption, she wrote: "Happy 25th anniversary @barackobama. A quarter of a century later, you're still my best friend & the most extraordinary man I know. I [love] you." Speaking about their wedding, Michelle previously said: "Barack didn't pledge riches, only a life that would be interesting. On that promise he delivered." In 1998, the couple welcomed their first child, Malia, and in 2001 their second daughter Sasha arrived.