President Obama arrives in the UK for state visit
President Obama arrives in the UK for state visit. merican president Barack Obama has flown into Britain early for a three-day state visit, declaring the UK-US partnership "an essential relationship".
The president flew into Stansted airport ahead of schedule to avoid the possibility of disruption to air travel from the ash cloud from an erupting Icelandic volcano.
He had been due to fly from Ireland on board Air Force One after spending the night in Ireland to be greeted at the Essex airport by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.
But the decision was taken to bring forward the visit after the announcement of cancellations to some UK commercial flights due to the ash billowing from the Grimsvotn volcano - with more disruption expected in the days to come.
The state visit - only the third by a US president to the UK in 100 years - 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.
This strong partnership was reflected in a joint newspaper article written by Mr Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron, in which they declare: "Ours is not just a special relationship, it is an essential relationship - for us and for the world."
The president and the First Lady will stay as guests of the Queen at Buckingham Palace for two nights.
The couple will attend a ceremonial welcome in the Palace garden with the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh before a state banquet in the 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.