Politics

Michelle Obama says she was terrified of falling over on camera: 'One of my primary goals for the eight years was to never become a meme'

Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama speaks at The Royal Festival Hall in London on Monday. Jack Taylor/Getty Images
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Michelle Obama said that one of her primary goals for her eight years as first lady was to avoid falling over and becoming a meme.

Speaking in London on Monday, the former First Lady said that the possibility of falling over at a public appearance is always on her mind.

"Of course your head is spinning because first of all I'm trying not to fall, which is a major thing that I think about in public," she said, according to MailOnline. "If you're thinking about my thoughts when I come out on stage it's 'don't' fall.'

"One of my primary goals for the eight years was to never become a meme."

Read More: Michelle Obama on Sheryl Sandberg's 'lean in' strategy: 'That s--- doesn't work all the time'

Obama was speaking about fear of falling over when she met the Queen, when she famously broke royal protocol and touched the monarch.

queen elizabeth michelle obama wide
Michelle Obama touched the queen when they met in 2009, which breaks royal protocol.  AP/AP

Obama said she had "all this protocol buzzing in my head" when she was due to be picked up by Her Majesty in person, and driven by her to Windsor Castle.

Read More: The Queen thinks royal protocol is 'rubbish,' according to Michelle Obama

"I was like 'don't trip down the stairs and don't touch anybody, whatever you do' and so the Queen says 'just get in, sit wherever.'

"And she's telling you one thing and you're remembering protocol and she says 'Oh it's all rubbish, just get in'"

"I touched her. After all those protocol lessons, I was human," Obama said.

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Sinéad Baker
Sinéad Baker is a Military and Defense Correspondent based in Business Insider's London bureau, writing about Russia's invasion of Ukraine and NATO actions.Sinéad most often covers soldiers' experiences, military strategy, battlefield developments, weapons systems, the defense industry's response, and the impact on NATO and European security, and geopolitical decisions that surround the Ukraine war. She has reported from NATO’s frontlines and around Europe,  has interviewed multiple prime ministers and defense ministers, has appeared on BBC News and The Guardian's politics podcast, and has been cited by Congressional hearings.Sinéad has also extensively covered US politics and previously led Business Insider's breaking news coverage from London.Sinéad previously completed a master's degree in investigative journalism at City, University of London, and has written for The Guardian, The Observer, and TheJournal.ie. Sinéad is the former editor of the multi-award-winning The University Times in Dublin.Expertise
  • Experiences of soldiers in Ukraine, including battlefield developments and tactics
  • Western military responses to the war, and lessons they should learn
  • New weaponry built for and in response to the war 
Email Sinéad at sbaker@jkmperu.com or find her on X.