The Obamas worried a $50 brooch was too small for Queen Elizabeth II — her response spoke volumes

Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8, 2022, bringing together thousands who gathered to pay their respects as her coffin made its journey from Balmoral to Buckingham Palace. During this time, former U.S. President Barack Obama shared a personal memory in a video broadcast by the BBC on September 17, 2022, recalling a small but meaningful gesture by the Queen, one that started with a small concern over a modest gift. He recalled how Michelle Obama had worried that a simple brooch she picked for the Queen during their 2011 visit might not be enough, but what happened next said everything about the monarch’s character.

Second-guessing a $50 gift

The incident happened during a state dinner at Buckingham Palace in 2011, when the Obamas were hosting an official visit. "The queen was dressed up quite a bit for the state dinner. It was a little bit concerning for Michelle, because as a gift to her majesty, Michelle had selected a small, modest brooch of nominal value," Barack said. According to Politico, it was a $50 vintage, American-made brooch from 1950, encrusted with 14-karat yellow gold, diamonds, and moss agate from Tiny Jewel Box’s vintage jewelry collection.

The Tiny Jewel Box is something that dozens of presidents, first ladies, and Cabinet ministers turn to when selecting jewels for a valuable purpose. It was a simple gesture, and at the time, they weren’t sure how it would be received. But that uncertainty didn’t last long.

Unforgettable moment of reciprocity

The very next night, when the first lady hosted a dinner at the American Embassy, the answer became clear. "The one thing we immediately noticed is that [the queen] was wearing the brooch that Michelle had given her," he described. "It was an example of the subtle thoughtfulness that she consistently displayed. Not just to us, but everybody she interacted with." For Obama, that moment reflected something deeper about who the Queen was.

That warmth carried into more formal moments, too. For instance, when Obama had first met the Queen, he said she reminded him of his grandmother, Madelyn Dunham. In a previous video that the former President shared on X in June 2022, on the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, "Before I took office, Michelle and I hadn't been to too many palaces, so we weren't sure what to expect during our first trip to Buckingham, but we shouldn't have been worried. Her Majesty put us at her ease and grace and generosity (...) And in the years, our Majesty and I have formed a special relationship of our own."

"[She had a] wry sense of humor, and she could not have been more kind or thoughtful to Michelle and me," he said in the BBC video. Getting to know her, he said, was one of the great privileges he got while he worked in the office. 

The Queen's popularity

Apparently, Barack wasn't the only one. Queen Elizabeth II remained widely admired even in the final years of her reign. A May 2022 YouGov survey found that 81% of Britons had a positive opinion of the Queen. Among Britons aged 65 and older, the Queen’s favorability score reached +92, showing especially strong admiration among older generations. Even among younger adults aged 18–24, 60% still viewed the Queen positively.

Obama also recalled the moment when Michelle visited England with their daughters, Malia and Sasha, and the Queen invited them over for tea. "She then offered the girls to drive in her golden carriage around the grounds of Buckingham Palace," President Obama described. "It was the sort of generosity and consideration that left a mark in my daughters' lives that is still there."

More on Scoop Upworthy

Paddington bears left as tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II to be donated to a children's hospital

Queen Elizabeth II took her corgis to comfort a war hero: 'Much better than talking'

Michelle Obama reveals she snuck out of White House with daughter Malia & the reason is beautiful