First Lady Jill Biden put on a very colorful display on Friday to brighten up a gray day in London, as she and her granddaughter Finnegan met the British Prime Minister’s wife ahead of their attendance at King Charles’s coronation on Saturday.
Jill, 71, donned a bright pink coat and sweater for the occasion, which she paired with some $1,150 Christian Dior floral print slingback heels and a clear umbrella to shield herself from the drizzle.
Meanwhile, University of Pennsylvania graduate Finnegan opted for a more pared-down outfit, arriving at Downing Street in a chic navy blue suit and beige heels.
Finnegan, the daughter of President Joe Biden’s scandal-plagued son Hunter, traveled to London with her grandmother on Saturday as the First Lady’s official plus one for King Charles’s coronation ceremony — after her grandfather sparked furious controversy by opting to use the historic event.
First Lady Jill Biden put on a very colorful display on Friday to brighten up a gray day in London, as she and her granddaughter Finnegan met with the British Prime Minister’s wife
Jill, 71, and her granddaughter Finnegan, 24, will attend King Charles’ coronation on Saturday after President Joe Biden sparked controversy by choosing to skip the historic event
Finnegan, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania – the daughter of Hunter, President Biden’s scandal-ridden son – looked chic in a navy blue suit
On their arrival at Number 10 Downing Street, the two women received a very warm greeting from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s wife Akshata Murthy, who kissed Jill on each cheek before shaking hands with her granddaughter.
While the three women happily posed for photos, their meeting – which takes place less than 24 hours before Finnegan and Jill will join 2,000 other select guests at Westminster Abbey for the coronation – took place behind closed doors with no access to the press.
In honor of the historic royal occasion this weekend, the exterior of number 10 Downing Street – the Prime Minister’s official residence and office – was decked out with Union Jack and coronation-themed flags.
After the closed-door meeting, Jill and Akshata will meet with a group of veterans who participate in a health and wellness program called The Fighting Chance, which provides boxing training and job support to former military personnel.
They will then travel to Charles Dickens Primary School in London, where they will meet a group of students participating in various coronation-themed activities.
Tonight First Lady Jill will attend a reception at Buckingham Palace to be hosted by King Charles.
Finnegan is believed to be by Jill’s side for most of the day, though her presence has not been confirmed at any event.
Finnegan’s trip to London was not announced until Thursday by the White House in a statement shared via the East Wing, which said, “There is no official US delegation. Finnegan is a plus.
The 24-year-old traveled to London as a civil servant plus one from her grandmother, with the East Wing issuing a statement on Thursday announcing her presence at the coronation.
Upon their arrival at number 10, the two women received a very warm greeting from Akshata Murthy, who kissed Jill on each cheek before shaking hands with her granddaughter.
Jill and her British counterpart have several activities planned for the day, including a meeting with veterans and a visit to a local school in London
In honor of the royal event this weekend, Number 10 Downing Street – the Prime Minister’s official residence – was decked out in Union Jack and coronation-themed flags
After posing for photos together, the two women headed to number 10 for a private meeting
“As we’ve noted before with other family trips, relatives of presidents have historically often joined them on trips. Current practices are consistent with those of previous administrations.”
Meanwhile, Jill expressed her excitement about the trip.
“Heading to the UK for the coronation of King Charles III – the first in 70 years!” Jill Biden tweeted on Thursday as she left Joint Base Andrews. “It is an honor to represent the United States at this historic moment and celebrate the special relationship between our nations.”
President Biden called the king in April to tell him that Jill Biden would attend the coronation on behalf of the United States.
And former President Donald Trump said it was “deeply disrespectful” of Biden to decline the invitation and send his wife instead.
The White House has noted that no sitting US president has ever attended the coronation of a British monarch.
“I was very surprised to see that. I find it very disrespectful that he is not here,” Trump said in an interview with British commentator Nigel Farage.
“I don’t think he can handle it physically, actually. I think it’s hard for him to do it physically,” Trump said. ‘Sure, he should be here. He is our representative of our country.’
President Biden did accept an invitation from the king for a state visit to the UK. However, no date has yet been set for that visit.