DIPLOMATIC BULLETIN – AT 10:39 A.M. ET:  From Fox:

PALMA DE MALLORCA, Spain -- U.S. first lady Michelle Obama and daughter Sasha are having lunch with Spain's king and queen at the royal family's holiday retreat on the resort island of Mallorca in the Mediterranean.

Mrs. Obama and her daughter arrived at Marivent palace shortly before 1 p.m. Sunday and were greeted at the front door of the residence by King Juan Carlos, Queen Sofia and Princess Letizia.

The king, a keen yachtsman, has for decades spent August vacations at the palace with its dramatic cliff-top views of the sea on the Balearic island's southwestern coast near Palma de Mallorca.

COMMENT:  From what we hear, the king of Spain isn't exactly a powerful figure on the world stage.  His basic function is to open bodegas and send get-well cards to aging matadors. 

Does this lunch make Michelle's trip official? 

I wonder what excuse Michelle gave for Barack not being there.  "You know, he has a thing about white guys from colonial countries."  That would do it.

August 8,  2010