Amanda Lucidon/The White House via Getty ImagesMichelle Obama got the royal treatment Tuesday morning.
The First Lady of the United States sipped tea during a private meeting with Prince Harry. According to Kensington Palace, the 30-year-old prince was "very pleased to host" the event. "They discussed their shared interest in support for veterans and their families," the palace said in a statement. "Prince Harry was also interested to hear from the First Lady about the Let Girls Learn initiative to further adolescent girls' education around the world, which is the focus of her visit to the United Kingdom." Prince Harry was also "delighted" to meet First Daughters Malia Obama and Sasha Obama, plus Michelle's mom, Marian Robinson.
The visit lasted about 40 minutes.
Later that morning, Michelle visited the Mulberry School for Girls. A student choir greeted her by singing "(Something Inside) So Strong," while others performed an interpretive dance to a reading of the late Maya Angelou's poem "Still I Rise." During her visit, Michelle told a group of inner-city London school students, "The world needs more girls like you." FLOTUS also told the young girls she understands the challenge of being "overlooked" and undervalued. "With an education from this amazing school you all have every chance you need to rise above the noise and fulfill every one of your dreams," Michelle said.
"Resilience and the ability to overcome obstacles is success. Take those challenges you are facing and own them. With every challenge you overcome, you are becoming better. Don't just be book-smart. Be smart about the world," the 51-year-old First Lady advised. "Know your community. Know your politics. You have to be informed and engaged all the time—not just when you think it is interesting or cool. As young women we have to be interested in politics. You have to think about your whole education."
During her visit to Mulberry School for Girls, Michelle said the U.S. and U.K. will join forces to improve access to education for girls internationally, as an estimated 62 million girls are not currently in school. The nations recently reached a $200 million joint partnership to support education for adolescent girls in countries affected by conflict, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The First Lady also discussed the difficulties some young Muslim women face.
"Maybe you read the news and hear what folks are saying about your religion and you wonder if people will ever see beyond your headscarf to who you really are, instead of being blinded by the fears and misperceptions in their own mind," she said. "I know how angry and exhausting it can make you feel."
When asked what her inspired her to start the Let Girls Learn initiative, Michelle replied, "Oh, it's you. Didn't you notice how I almost cried partway through my speech? It's you, it's your soul, your passion."
Michelle said she and Harry also discussed the important role men and boys play in getting girls in school. "He said it's important to have male voices at the table on this issue because often times it's going to be the brother or the father in the community speaking up that is going to change the way a community responds," she said. "Our sons are important. We love men, we all do. They're good, they're useful—I have one in my life," she said of President Barack Obama, prompting laughter from the crowd.