CNN did a really great analysis-piece about Dr. Jill Biden, our First Lady for the past five months. Dr. Jill (or Dr. B, as her students call her) has been mostly fulfilling traditional and typical FLOTUS events in her first five months. She’s traveled solo and with her husband, she’s highlighted the causes dear to her, she’s role modeled good pandemic behavior and she’s also maintained her community-college professorship. This week marks Dr. Jill’s first big venture on the international stage, as she accompanies her husband to the UK and The Netherlands for the G7 Summit and NATO summit respectively. Dr. Biden will meet Queen Elizabeth on Sunday, which is why CNN is making this all about “regular peasant Jill meets the Queen,” as if Jill is just some uncouth yokel who will burp and fart her way through Windsor Castle. Some highlights from this CNN piece:
She’s not nervous to meet the Queen: Biden has not had withering bouts of nervousness, nor has she scrutinized the choreography of royal protocol, two people familiar with the first lady’s thinking in the run-up to the trip tell CNN. “Put her in a palace with a Queen, or wherever you want, she’s ‘Jill from Philly,’ ” says one longtime acquaintance of Biden, when asked if the first lady might maintain her casualness while in the presence of one of the most formally nuanced people in the world. One White House staffer says Biden has little interest in the formality of “where to stand, or whether or not to hold someone’s hand or give them a hug. She just does what she feels.”
Whether Jill will be a stickler for protocol: “I think Dr. Biden is seeking to be far more accessible and relatable than most of her predecessors, with the exception of Michelle Obama who had a similar approach,” says historian Kate Andersen Brower, author of “First Women: The Grace and Power of America’s Modern First Ladies,” of Biden’s first overseas visit as first lady. “She is not an imperial first lady, like Nancy Reagan — who was so involved in her husband’s administration that she helped orchestrate President Reagan’s first meeting in Geneva with [former Russian leader Mikhail] Gorbachev. I would not expect Dr. Biden to be doing anything like that. Dr. Biden will be bringing a softer message. She’ll be resetting the American image abroad as much as the President does. I think she’ll stay away from politics.”
Jill is doing her own solo events abroad too: Though Biden’s schedule includes time with leader spouses for planned G7 activities — a common occurrence at summits such as these — it also makes time for at least three separate, solo events, two of which involve promoting Joining Forces, her initiative that helps military families. On Saturday, Biden will meet with members of Bude Surf Veterans, a local volunteer group that assists British military veterans with physical or mental health injuries through surfing. “She will host a discussion with veterans and their families about the impact of the program and on their health and well-being,” according to guidance from the East Wing. The program is partially funded by the Invictus Games Foundation, a wounded warrior charity founded by Prince Harry, with whom Biden shares a close, personal friendship.
Jill will be fine: “This type of foreign trip might have some new trappings, but the ritual is familiar to Jill Biden,” says one of the people familiar with her thinking. During her eight years as second lady, Biden made approximately 20 trips to foreign countries, mostly accompanying her husband, but many with solo objectives. “She’s not naïve to the importance of a world audience, she knows the expectations,” says the acquaintance.
I love that she’s doing an event connected with the Invictus Games! She really does know Prince Harry! She and Michelle Obama both adore him. As for all of the hand-wringing and ass-clenching about protocol… like, she’ll be fine. I’m concerned that President Biden might make a few gaffes, but Jill knows what to do and she knows how little importance most of it has. She’s not there to “impress” the Queen. Neither is President Biden.
In the same piece, there’s also a lengthy conversation about whether Dr. Jill wants to be known for her clothes, or wants her designer labels publicized. She’s someone who enjoys fashion and enjoys – much like Michelle Obama – highlighting specific designers for specific reasons. But she’s not a full-on fashionista, so I would imagine we’ll just see some pretty (and conservative) dresses from American designers and a few Ralph Lauren or Donna Karan suits.
Dr. Jill also wore a jacket emblazened with “LOVE”. I care, do u?
Traveling with President Biden in the UK, Jill Biden wore a jacket on Thursday that read “LOVE” on the back, an echo of Melania Trump’s “I really don’t care, do u?” jacket that she wore in 2018 to visit children separated from their parents at the border. https://t.co/0EJHqAfAd6
— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 10, 2021
Love this boss photo:
Prepping for the G7. pic.twitter.com/drPmb2vBwI
— Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) June 9, 2021
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
I know this is not an in-depth observation but how lovely to have the grown-ups back in charge. Go Dr B.
PS Do we think she’ll be sneaking coded messages to hostage Betty right under the noses of the courtiers? “Blink twice for no, your Majesty..”
I think Dr. First Lady will compliment the queen on her lovely grandson who moved to the States.
It’s like the world has forgotten that before Melania Trump, First Ladies were mature responsible adults who knew how to behave appropriately in professional environments.
Just like BRF, the WH has dedicated staff to brief POTUS and FLOTUS on protocol. But the arrogant Trumps thought they knew better than anyone else and didn’t avail themselves of that expertise, preferring instead to surround themselves with “yes man” toadies.
@Iconoclast, not only did the Trumps not avail themselves of the expertise of the office of protocol, they fired the whole protocol staff within 6 months of their arrival and bragged about it. As a result, we got bad Jackie Kennedy cosplay and see-through Bride of Betelgeuse attire at the Vatican, Pence and Ivanka addressing heads of state by the wrong titles and names, and a long list of other embarrassing gaffes.
“Don’t be fooled by the rocks that I got. I’m still Jilly from the block.”
Of course she knows how to act. And I dare say the Queen will find Joe terribly dashing.
Many of us in UK found him dashing, you’d bet! Particularly when posing for photos with British Trump 2.0, who can’t have a normal posture to save his life. Don’t even get me started on his hair
Dr First Lady tweeted condolences when the Queen’s puppy died; she’ll do just fine.
I’m sure Lizzy from Windsor will be thrilled to meet Dr Jill. Let’s just hope Jill doesn’t forget to bring a megaphone with her to talk because #mypalacesource tells me Her Majesty has selective hearing around American accents.
Thank you for my morning laugh! I personally am hoping she picks a “Meghan Fashion” they both looked fabulous in the lemon dress. I adore her and wearing the “love” jacket to the isle of hate was perfect. They are a welcome relief from the past president and wife3. A wonderful distraction from the disaster that is the Senate and HOR that still continues.
Hahahahahaha perfectly said
🤣🤣🤣🤣 spit my tea on this one!
She is such a breath of fresh air after 4 years of the Trumps. I expect Joe’s suit will fit better than the Tuxedo debacle from that previous guy snort
Joe’s suit will be impeccably fitted to his trim frame. Apparently, he has had all his suits fitted at the same tailor in Delaware for decades. The former guy probably never let himself be measured so nothing ever fit.
Yeah I know kind of trivial in the grand scheme but Joe is an impeccable dresser. Maybe not flashiest but always perfectly tailored. Jill too always looks fab.
On Omid Scobie’s Twitter Dr. Biden is having an event with Kate. No details.
The RR are going to milk that for all they’ve got. I just hope sussex squad will ignore it.
On its face it would make sense – Kate’s focus is the Early Years, Dr. Jill has a doctorate in education. There definitely should be some overlap there. But I can’t imagine the actual conversation lol.
From all reports, Jill is an incredibly kind person and she’ll know, from Michelle and her own experience, that Kate is a dumb bunny. She’s likely to meet and engage with Kate on her level and make her feel comfortable bc that’s what someone like Jill does, even if she’s not diplomatically required to do so. Which is more than that bimbo deserves.
It’s an Early Years thing. And like @Becks1 says it makes sense. But I’m seriously not sure what Kate is going to contribute to the conversation (other than her experience in raising her own children of course) because her EY work has been… lacking.
I can see it now:
Kate: Do you want to see my research?
Dr. Jill: Sure
Kate: here is a pie chart! Isn’t it lovely?? What do you think??
Dr. Jill *blinks and backs away slowly*
Much as I want plain sailing and minimal incidents for the Biden’s, I would also love a hot mic moment where Dr Jill is caught given an honest reaction to Keen Lynchpin and her pie charts of doom.
@Becks
Dr Jill: This is actually a bar graph.
Kate: But it’s about children’s favorite flavors of pie!
If Kate could handle actual conversation, it would be a diplomatic opportunity. But the reality is that’s not going to happen; their interaction will not go beyond polite, surface chat.
Well Dr Biden has already out-bindered Keen Lynchpin so this should be interesting. Or ‘how interesting’ from Lynchpin with lots of nodding and head tilts and not much more.
Is she meeting with Camilla? It seems strange and unfortunately beneath the Dr. to meet with a lightweight. And I’m being diplomatic.
I really want to see photos of Kate’s manic smile whilst wearing a tiara and ribbons, with the sullen Other Brother seething in the background, grinding his teeth with the knowledge that H&M, particularly Harry, is close to POTUS and FLOTUS.
I don’t know if it’s a state dinner or something, but I would very much enjoy the Bidens casually dropping into conversation “congratulations on your new great-granddaughter!”
Cue Charles asking them to say hello to all the California ethnics.
It would be weird if they didn’t say congratulations about the new baby wouldn’t it? I just hope it’s caught on camera and they say congratulations with the full name, Lilibet Diana
I do hope both Bidens say “We just adore Harry!”
Omg Charles would absolutely say that and then look confused when the room fell silent.
She’s going to be fine. This article acts like she wasnt the second lady for 8 years. Maybe she hasn’t met the queen, but I’m sure she has met plenty of other world leaders. the Queen is the head of state but she’s not a deity where if you do something she doesn’t like or isnt part of her “protocol” she’ll have you struck by lightning immediately. I’m sure Dr. Jill is going to be warm and friendly towards her and the queen will be friendly in return.
I love that she’s meeting with an org that has a connection to the Invictus Games. and I love that IG is so much more than just the games once every year or two.
Finally – I have found myself enjoying her fashion a lot more than I thought I would. She wears pretty colors, great coats, great dresses – she basically dresses like a professional woman in her position should dress, we’re just not used to it after the past four years of melania.
“the Queen is the head of state but she’s not a deity where if you do something she doesn’t like or isnt part of her “protocol” she’ll have you struck by lightning immediately.”
Thank you! I’m baffled that this is apparently such a big story, but so much of what I’m seeing about Jill Biden and the Queen’s protocols is just bonkers! The Bidens are not new to this, they know how to act around world leaders.
But also, the Bidens are world leaders and not British subjects, so much of what I’m seeing seems to ignore both of these things.
Right? Why are they acting like she just fell off the back of a pick up truck? Dr. FLOTUS was the Second Lady for 8 years, the wife of a US Senator for like 3 decades, she has 2 Masters and a Doctorate, and has been a college professor for quite some time.
I think she can handle herself just fine!
Yes, and a senator’s wife for 37 years, too. The “Jilly from Philly” is just part of the Biden “folksy charm,” but they’ve been political players for a lifetime. She knows what she’s doing.
I love that her prep for the trip involved reading and not just picking out outfits…or scrambling to learn some common phrases of a language she pretends to speak *cough*Melania in Italy*cough* 🙂
Jill will be fine.
Dr Jill is an educated woman(2 masters and one PHD) and what she does really affect changes…Is that puppet queen living in a bubble educated?What does she do to affect changes or progress? Nada,just maintaining the status quo for rich white men…she is useless,at least she gets to meet a real woman of the world,she should be honored.
Exactly!!!! the audacity of thinking Dr Jill should be impressed to meet Betty. Dr Jill is a highly educated woman, petty Betty should be honored to meet her….a woman who has barely be heard, who let others speak for her….she is just there to maintain the status quo and nothing more.
This is the same BS we saw with Michelle without the layers of racism.
Yup..this is just nonsense…I don’t understand,who should be more honored? I think it’s the queen ,at least she can see some women have done something with their life unlike her
CNN’s royal fawning has become embarrassing.
Does anyone else remember the fake outrage when Michelle Obama broke with protocol and (gasp!) touched the Queen? And yet the Obamas were said to be Betty and Phil’s favorite First Couple. So the Bidens already have an “in” with QE. They’ll be fine.
(Also, I could swear that I read that, back when they were preparing for Trump’s first visit, the RF was supposedly bickering over who amongst them would be forced to put up with him. Am I making that up?)
I remember the stories about that and I think its obvious when you look at how carefully stage managed that whole visit was. No pictures of Kate or William with Trump or Ivanka (you know she was angling for one), Harry avoided getting photographed with Ivanka, etc. Anne laughing with the other world leaders about Trump.
Thankfully I’m not worried about that happening on this trip.
They were all given strict orders to keep the younger Trumps away from the Queen and conducted themselves like a military operation. The best Ivanka could do was a picture of herself with her feminine hygiene product hat standing next to a clearly disinterested Harry at Westminster. All her pictures at the state dinner are with Anne or Sophie herding her away from the Queen’s vicinity.
Yup Jill will be fine. She knows how to behave and won’t be scowling her way through the trip or act like her she hates her husband (like how another First Lady has acted)
For the first time in four years, I have no concern whatsoever that our President and First Lady will embarrass us on the international stage. They seem like smart, kind, thoughtful people who take the time to be prepared before doing anything. I love Dr. Jill and I think she’ll represent us very well.
Isn’t it wonderful? Seeing this article, I realized I hadn’t even thought about Biden for a couple of days. It’s such a mental relief.
That LOVE jacket is perfection.
It is wonderful!! We finally have the type of President, First Lady and Vice President that we can all be proud of! We all know that Dr. Biden will carry herself well at every event, no matter the audience! She is a pro at this, given her years in the public sector. And Biden will be charming and looking smartly dressed and be a gentleman the entire trip!
Love you Jill!
I have complete faith in Jill Biden and how she will represent the US abroad in the UK and everywhere else. Also despite all the brouhaha with strict protocols involving the Queen, we know the Queen doesn’t really give a toss about protocol all that much. In Michelle Obama’s book, she described when she put her arm around the Queen and everyone (the British media) freaked out about breaking protocol. However the Queen reciprocated the moment by putting her hand on Michelle’s back too. There was also a moment involving a car where Michelle was trying to follow protocol about getting into the car (I think the Queen was supposed to get in first) and the Queen told her to get in first and Michelle was confused and not sure what to do. And then the Queen said referenced how she didn’t have to worry about protocol, to just get in and that protocol was rubbish lol.
The tone of this is strange to me. Is this for an American audience? It’s so ‘dumbed down’ it’s bizarre. She’s educated, experienced, has years and years partnered with a high profile politician. And the bit about withering bouts of nervousness 🤷♀️ before meeting the Queen? Is this for the British ego? Bizarre
Exactly…Dr Jill is a real woman like I like them:strong,ambitious,educated,well read…they want us to believe that ppl should be honored to meet the queen…LOL
As we’ve learned, the only people who don’t know how to act are the Balmoral bumpkins in the royal palace. I love Jill. Her whole vibe is good for my soul.
The Bidens are such lovely people and are good representatives to the world of how REAL Americans really are and act.
Jill and Betty will get along fantastically and will have a lot of things to talk about. And they can always talk about their dogs and grandkids!
She’ll be fine. Besides, Dr. Jill is more educated than the royals.
Jilly from Philly is doing her homework! She’s carrying out the duties of the first lady, continuing her teaching career, and going through her briefing books to be sure she’ll be able to ask useful questions and engage with those who are getting recognized for their work.
Kate…has a pretty new dress for the occasion.
Exactly Jay. Kate’s priority is dress and hair. Day before she may read one page regarding the event. I guess Jill sees choosing wardrobe as sth she does in the meantime.
Dr. Biden is not new to this rodeo. She’s been in public life for decades. She easily swatted some reporter who was asking her if she and Kate talked about tea with the Queen. She ( I’m paraphrasing) told them to pay attention, that they were talking about education. She’s not here for nonsense.
+1
What an odd article. Her husband was vice-president for eight years. So she was an extremely experienced First Lady right out of the gate because of that.
Exactly. Joe and Jill are not new to this game. Joe has been in government his whole adult life and is probably one of the most experienced Presidents we’ve ever had. Jill is highly educated and experienced in diplomacy as well.
I am so happy harry knew Jill when she was working for Obama as the VP wife. cause the press will use anything to shame Harry . now that Harry friend is the president and his wife. the press can’t say a word. are these state heads at the summit allowed to congratulate the queen on her great granddaughter Lilibet Diana? it will seems kind of rude not to congratulate her .
I am sure President Joe and 1st lady Jill knows all about what happened to Meghan /Harry. they know Oprah too. i am sure they watched the interview. since she knows Harry ,i am sure 1st lady Jill wanted to see what Harry had to say ..
It occurs to me that the US President is probably pretty au fait on the inner workings of the palace via the US intelligence services. It’s virtually guaranteed that there are people in Langley who know exactly what was said in the phone calls and emails from Canada. Joe may know more about what went down than anyone thinks.
She actually loves us.
I’m sure Jill wrote the whole CNN article she “collaborated” on with Kate. Jill was just being nice, as she always is. Gracious, caring, committed First Lady. A breath of fresh air from the former gal.