Michelle Obama's 'dance party' with toddler in viral photo

The two-year-old who thought Michelle Obama was a queen when staring at her new portrait at the Smithsonian has met the former first lady.

Michelle Obama with young Parker Curry.

Michelle Obama with young Parker Curry. Source: Instagram: michelleobama

Michelle Obama has met and danced with the two-year-old girl who was pictured staring at her portrait hanging in the National Portrait Gallery because she thought the former first lady was a queen.

A photo on social media of young Parker Curry staring at the new portrait hanging in the Smithsonian's gallery swept the internet last week and also caught the attention of Ms Obama.

Parker's mother Jessica told CNN her daughter was staring at the portrait because she believed Ms Obama was a queen.

"In further discussion with [Parker] yesterday and today, I realised that she believes Michelle Obama is a queen, and she wants to be a queen as well," Jessica Curry told CNN.

"As a female and as a girl of colour, It's really important that I show her people who look like her are doing amazing things and are making history so that she knows she can do it."

After seeing the photo, Ms Obama met with Parker and even shared a dance with the two-year-old.

"Parker, I'm so glad I had the chance to meet you today (and for the dance party)! Keep on dreaming big for yourself ... and maybe one day I'll proudly look up at a portrait of you," she wrote in a tweet.

The Obamas tapped artists Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald for the paintings, which will be added to the National Portrait Gallery's collection of presidential portraits.

At the time of the unveiling, Ms Obama said she hoped her painting by Amy Sherald would inspire young girls.

"They will look up and they will see an image of someone who looks like them, hanging on the wall of this great American institution," she said.

"I know the kind of impact that will have on their lives because I was one of those girls."


Share

2 min read

Published

Updated

By Riley Morgan



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world