It was the ultimatemeeting of powers on Thursday as President Barack Obama met with Prince Charles and his wife Camilla. But the President joked Americans like the royal family more thantheir own politicians.
Prince Charles and President Obama were all smiles in the Oval Office Photo: Getty Images
Sitting in the Oval Office, President Obama told the Prince, "I think it's fair to say that the American peopleare quite fond of the royal family." Flattered, Charles replied that was"awfully nice to know." Obama added, "They like them much betterthan they like their own politicians." Attempting to push the lightheartedmatter aside the Prince said, "I don't believe that" before moving onto discuss his visit the day before to Mount Vernon.
The royal couple was joined by Vice President Biden Photo: Getty Images
This meeting comes almostfour years after their last meeting when Charles flew to America a few daysafter the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.This time his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, attended and Vice PresidentJoe Biden also joined.
He may have hit a home run with the President, but earlier in the day Prince Charles was hoping for a strike as the British royal took to the bowling alley during a tour of an Armed Forces retirement home. Luckily, the ball didn't roll into the gutter but the 66-year-old heir to the British throne was reportedly not too happy with his score, pulling a funny face as the pins fell.
Prince Charles hopes for a strike Photo: Getty Images
Charles was visiting an Armed Forces retirement home in the American equivalent of the Royal Chelsea Hotel, with his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, who let Charles enjoy the bowling fun while she stayed back and watched.
Charles was unimpressed with his own bowling skills Photo: Getty Images
At the home, Charles and Camilla met with veterans, who showed the British royals the gym and their art room. Set on the grounds of President Abraham Lincoln's cottage, the pair were later met by Erin Carlson Mast, who is in charge of maintaining the centuries-old property.
It was here that Lincoln dreamed up the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery in the United States, and also where he spent much of the American Civil War.
Mrs. Mast gifted the pair with a book called Lincoln's Sanctuary for Charles, and another called What Do You Do With An Idea for his grandson, Prince George.
The pair discussed the art with the veterans who live in the home Photo: Getty Images
Their trip comes the day after they began their U.S. tour. On Wednesday, they toured two of America's greatest memorials — the Lincoln Memorial and the Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial — in Washington D.C., where they were given an extra warm welcome by a crowd of tourists.
One group of tourists who were delighted to see Charles and Camilla were students from the state of Virginia. Joan Darby, who brought her U.S. history class to the Dr. King Memorial said they were thrilled to meet the future King.
"To come here and have such a joyful event was just really incredible luck on our part," she said.