Queen Elizabeth gets iPod from Obamas

Royal couple gives president, first lady signed portrait of themselves

John Stillwell / AP President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle are welcomed by Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at Buckingham Palace in London on Wednesday. View related photos updated 6:48 p.m. ET April 1, 2009 LONDON - It's not every day the American president's driver is told to move his bulletproof car. But Queen Elizabeth II's handlers made the request Wednesday after President Barack Obama's reinforced Cadillac limousine was found to be blocking the garden entrance driveway at Buckingham Palace. After it was moved, Jaguars carrying Prince Charles and other members of the royal family pulled up for the queen's reception for leaders attending Thursday's G-20 summit. Obama and his wife, Michelle — wearing a black and white dress, pearls and a black coat — were two of the first dignitaries to meet the queen, who wore a salmon-colored dress and her trademark pearls. During their private meeting, President Obama and the first lady gave the queen a personalized iPod with video footage of her 2007 visit to Washington and Virginia. She was also given a rare songbook signed by composer Richard Rodgers. In return the queen and her husband, Prince Philip, gave the Obamas a signed portrait of themselves. Queen Elizabeth has met with 11 of the last 12 U.S. presidents, including a meeting that took place with Harry Truman when she was a princess, according to Buckingham Palace spokesman David Pogson. The only president she did not meet was Lyndon Johnson. His widow later met the queen after the president's death. The queen and her husband entertained the Obamas in her private audience room, which overlooks the palace gardens where thousands of daffodils and other flowers were in bloom. The room, which is part of the queen's private quarters, is frequently used for private meetings with visiting leaders. Recent visitors included the prime ministers of Canada and Australia. 'Her majesty is delightful' After her meeting with the Obamas, the queen held a reception for all the world leaders attending the summit. They gathered in the palace's picture gallery and were served champagne, wine and canapes of chicken with zucchini on skewers, mini Cornish pasties, smoked quail eggs, foie gras and tiny rolls of duck filled with melon. Click for related content Obama plays down rifts over economic plan Slump takes swagger out of once-booming U.K. Michelle Obama visits London cancer center The queen chatted with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi while French President Nicolas Sarkozy held an animated discussion through an interpreter with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Prince Charles shared a joke with Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva while his wife, Camilla, held a long talk with Michelle Obama. "It was a wonderful visit," Obama shouted to reporters as he and his wife left the palace. "Her majesty is delightful." Several hundred people gathered outside Buckingham Palace and cheered as soon as they saw President Obama. Earlier in the day, Obama used a press conference with Prime Minister Gordon Brown to say how much he and the first lady were looking forward to meeting the queen, praising her as a model of "decency and civility." What's for dinner? Brown and his wife, Sarah, were holding a dinner at Downing Street for all of the leaders attending the summit. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver was cooking dinner for the G-20 leaders. The main course was slow-roasted Welsh lamb accompanied by wild mushrooms, asparagus and potatoes from Jersey in the English Channel. Vegetarian leaders were being offered potato dumplings and asparagus. Appetizers include baked Scottish salmon with vegetables and goat's cheese from Hertfordshire with roasted shallots. Bakewell tarts and custard is on the menu for dessert. France's Sarkozy, who had hinted he would walk out of the G-20 if leaders didn't agree to concrete plans on tighter financial regulations, was the last to arrive for the dinner. Obama sat next to German Chancellor Angela Merkel — who has joined in Sarkozy's calls — while Chinese President Hu Jintao sat between Brown and Sarkozy. Obama's iPod gift includes 40 Broadway show tunes President's gift The iPod to Queen Elizabeth II came loaded with 40 songs from popular Broadway productions, including "The King and I," "West Side Story" and "Dreamgirls." Songs included on the iPod are: "Oklahoma!" "If I Loved You," Jan Clayton, "Carousel" "You'll Never Walk Alone," Jan Clayton, "Carousel" "There's No Business Like Show Business," Ethel Merman, "Annie Get Your Gun" "Once in Love with Amy (Where's Charley?)," Ray Bolger "Some Enchanted Evening," "South Pacific" "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend," Carol Channing, "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" "Getting to Know You," Gertrude Lawrence, "The King and I" "Shall We Dance?" Gertrude Lawrence, "The King and I" "I Could Have Danced All Night," Julie Andrews, "My Fair Lady" "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face," Rex Harrison, "My Fair Lady" "The Party's Over (Bells Are Ringing)," Judy Holliday "Maria," "West Side Story" "Tonight," "West Side Story" "Seventy Six Trombones," "The Music Man" "Everything's Coming up Roses," Ethel Merman, "Gypsy" "The Sound of Music" "Try to Remember," Jerry Orbach, "The Fantasticks" "Camelot," Richard Burton "If Ever I Would Leave You," Robert Goulet, "Camelot" "Hello, Dolly!" Carol Channing "If I Were a Rich Man," Zero Mostel, "Fiddler on the Roof" "People," Barbra Streisand, "Funny Girl" "On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)," John Cullum "The Impossible Dream," Richard Kiley, "Man of La Mancha" "Mame," Charles Braswell "Cabaret," Liza Minnelli "Aquarius, Ronald Dyson, "Hair' "Send in the Clowns," Judy Collins, "A Little Night Music" "All That Jazz," Chita Rivera, "Chicago" "One," "A Chorus Line" "Tomorrow," Andrea McArdle, "Annie" "Don't Cry for Me Argentina," Patti LuPone, "Evita" "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," Jennifer Holliday, "Dreamgirls" "Memory," Elaine Paige, "Cats" "The Best of Times," George Hearn, "La Cage Aux Folles" "I Dreamed a Dream," Aretha Franklin, "Les Miserables" "The Music of the Night," Michael Crawford, "The Phantom of the Opera" "As If We Never Said Goodbye," Elaine Paige, "Sunset Blvd." "Seasons of Love," "Rent" ============================================================ OMG! How cool are the Obamas???? If Apple didn't already have everyone drooling over their stuff, I'd say this is a publicity stunt! Hehe....but look at the selection of songs also....how personal and thoughtful! Oh wow...other's are gonna have a tough time getting the Queen a better present!