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| Obamas, Prince Harry and the Queen trade mic drops in comedy sketch | Obamas, Prince Harry and the Queen trade mic drops in comedy sketch |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Barack Obama left more than just cuddly toys behind at Kensington Palace, judging from a newly released comedy sketch that suggests the British royals have also developed a taste for White House-style social media promotion. | |
| The 40-second video routine featuring the Queen, Prince Harry, the president and first lady of the United States launched via Twitter on Friday as part of efforts to raise awareness for the Invictus Games, an annual sporting competition for wounded military veterans. | The 40-second video routine featuring the Queen, Prince Harry, the president and first lady of the United States launched via Twitter on Friday as part of efforts to raise awareness for the Invictus Games, an annual sporting competition for wounded military veterans. |
| Related: The Obamas and the royals: bond with monarchy covers up political cracks | Related: The Obamas and the royals: bond with monarchy covers up political cracks |
| “A message? Oh, from Michelle,” deadpans Prince Harry as he pretends to pick up a text alert from Flotus, taunting British soldiers to bring home the medals from this May’s event in Orlando. | “A message? Oh, from Michelle,” deadpans Prince Harry as he pretends to pick up a text alert from Flotus, taunting British soldiers to bring home the medals from this May’s event in Orlando. |
| “How very amusing. Would you like to watch it together?” he asks his grandmother, conveniently perched beside him on the sofa as Harry leafs through photographs of disabled athletes at previous games. | “How very amusing. Would you like to watch it together?” he asks his grandmother, conveniently perched beside him on the sofa as Harry leafs through photographs of disabled athletes at previous games. |
| Their cosy fireside chat is interrupted by a rather more braggadocious scene from the White House, tweeted earlier by the first lady, in which Michelle does her fiercest arms-folded, please-eat-your-vegetables look: “Hey, Prince Harry! Do you remember when you told us to bring it at the Invictus Games?” | Their cosy fireside chat is interrupted by a rather more braggadocious scene from the White House, tweeted earlier by the first lady, in which Michelle does her fiercest arms-folded, please-eat-your-vegetables look: “Hey, Prince Harry! Do you remember when you told us to bring it at the Invictus Games?” |
| “Careful what you wish for,” adds the president, before one of the servicemen behind them pretends to drop the microphone with a “boom” that might sound a little too much like munitions to some. | “Careful what you wish for,” adds the president, before one of the servicemen behind them pretends to drop the microphone with a “boom” that might sound a little too much like munitions to some. |
| “Oh, really. Puh-lease,” responds the Queen to the American taunts, although it is easy to imagine her adding “Is one viral yet?” were the camera to roll any longer. | “Oh, really. Puh-lease,” responds the Queen to the American taunts, although it is easy to imagine her adding “Is one viral yet?” were the camera to roll any longer. |
| Hey, @KensingtonRoyal! Are you ready for @InvictusOrlando? Game on. pic.twitter.com/S34KrEv5Is | Hey, @KensingtonRoyal! Are you ready for @InvictusOrlando? Game on. pic.twitter.com/S34KrEv5Is |
| Unfortunately for you @FLOTUS and @POTUS I wasn't alone when you sent me that video 😉 - H.https://t.co/sjfSQvkzb6 | Unfortunately for you @FLOTUS and @POTUS I wasn't alone when you sent me that video 😉 - H.https://t.co/sjfSQvkzb6 |
| The two families have been promoting what their aides says is a growing warmth for each other in recent months, something that appears genuine, but also a convenient foil for any political tensions that arise. | The two families have been promoting what their aides says is a growing warmth for each other in recent months, something that appears genuine, but also a convenient foil for any political tensions that arise. |
| Since a successful trip to Washington last year when he caused a celebrity stir on Capitol Hill, Prince Harry has also worked alongside Mrs Obama as de facto ambassador for the Games, and appears to enjoy calling in a public relations favour from his grandmother too. | |
| In the video, he responds with his own grin to camera and another transatlantic mic drop that might be a first for both Buckingham Palace and the special relationship. | In the video, he responds with his own grin to camera and another transatlantic mic drop that might be a first for both Buckingham Palace and the special relationship. |
| Earlier in the day, Harry had bantered with the Obamas on Twitter. | Earlier in the day, Harry had bantered with the Obamas on Twitter. |
| “Fighting talk there! You can dish it out, but can you take it?” wrote “H”, with a tweet sign-off perhaps styled on Obama’s “BO”. | “Fighting talk there! You can dish it out, but can you take it?” wrote “H”, with a tweet sign-off perhaps styled on Obama’s “BO”. |
| For an American head of state required to navigate modern media for political as well as ceremonial purposes, such flexibility has long since been seen as part of the media armory, | For an American head of state required to navigate modern media for political as well as ceremonial purposes, such flexibility has long since been seen as part of the media armory, |
| The House of Windsor meanwhile has been shaking off its fusty image with similar stunts since James Bond helped the Queen launch the London Olympics. | The House of Windsor meanwhile has been shaking off its fusty image with similar stunts since James Bond helped the Queen launch the London Olympics. |
| But Friday’s faux tweetstorm suggests a whole new world of PR to come, either cringeworthy or delightful, depending on one’s perspective. | But Friday’s faux tweetstorm suggests a whole new world of PR to come, either cringeworthy or delightful, depending on one’s perspective. |