Barack Obama concluded his visit to the U.K. by hosting a star-studded dinner for the Queen in London last night.
David Beckham, Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson and Colin Firth were among the guests invited to dine at the U.S. ambassador’s house in Regent’s Park.
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and PM David Cameron also attented the event, where guests dined on American and British dishes, including fillet of Highlands beef and a classic pecan pie and brandy ice cream for dessert.
Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth provided the entertainment for the evening by performing a number of songs.
Earlier, Obama told a joint session of British
Parliament that the US and other Western powers had lost none of their
relevance despite the rise of new global powers.
Obama sought to rubbish the notion that the emergence
of countries like China, India and Brazil had resulted in the West’s
waning influence.
“Perhaps, the argument goes, these nations
represent the future, and the time for our leadership has passed. That
argument is wrong. The time for our leadership is now. It was the
United States, the United Kingdom, and our democratic allies that
shaped a world in which new nations could emerge and individuals could
thrive,” the President said.
He also said the US and UK
had reached a pivotal moment in history after a difficult
decade which began with war and ended in recession. However, he was confident the global
economy was now on the path of recovery after the economic downturn.
Obama and his wife Michelle now travel to Deauville, France for the G8 summit fetuing the world’s eight richest nations.
