President Obama has come under fire in Britain for giving some tacky gifts to residents of 10 Downing Street and the royal family in the past. Think the 25 DVDs of American movies (that aren’t formatted to play in Britain) for former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the toys from the White House gift shop for the Brown children, the iPod for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Today, the president gave visiting Prime Minister David Cameron something that would make Clark Griswold beam ear-to-ear: a super-charged grill on which to cook those tasty hot dogs they shared at the NCAA game last night.
The Braten1000 series grill seen here retails for $1,895, but the first couple went all out by having Engelbrecht Grills and Cookers of Paxton, Ill., hand-make a one-of-a-kind model for them. American and British flags were engraved into the utility shelf and a personalized plaque was added
According to the White House pool report, the gift is said to symbolize the May 2011 visit of the Obamas to Britain where they grilled together.
The Obamas threw in two White House chef jackets, embroidered with the Camerons’ names and American and British flags.
Michelle Obama gave Samantha Cameron a crystal jar of honey “collected from the South Lawn of the White House,” along with chamomile seeds harvested from the White House garden.
The Camerons’ three children each received a bean bag chair embroidered with the presidential seal and the kids’ names.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member