EXCLUSIVE Michelle Obama enjoys intimate lunch with longtime male friend as she jets off on lavish Spain getaway WITHOUT Barack
Michelle Obama and her daughters were pictured enjoying lunch at an exclusive club on the idyllic Spanish island of Mallorca.
In photos obtained exclusively by the Daily Mail, the former first lady, 61, kept a low profile in large, stylish sunglasses and a multi-colored print dress, while dining at The Lobster Club in Puerto Portals.
Michelle, 61, was joined by James Costos, 62, former US ambassador to Spain and his partner Michael Smith, 62, the Obamas' longtime interior designer and former White House decorator‑in‑chief.
Aspiring filmmaker Malia, 26, looked chic in a black polka dot halter neck crop top and a black mini skirt and flashed her toned stomach. Younger sister Sasha, 24, flaunted her effortlessly style in an oversized off the shoulder white tee and a long pleated brown skirt.
Notably not in attendance: former President Barack Obama.
Michael and James have been longtime friends of the Obamas and hosted the family many times at their Rancho Mirage home in Palm Springs, California.
'When they were here, it occurred to me that more than 50 years ago JFK had stayed just down the road at Bing Crosby's home,' Michael told Architectural Digest in 2017.
'The President and Mrs Obama basically woke up in the morning to the same view of the valley. There was something lovely about that thought.
'It made me contemplate all the change that has taken place in those decades, contrasting with the timelessness of this beautiful desert landscape.'
This group outing comes amid ongoing rumors about the state of Michelle and Barack's marriage status over the last several months.
Michelle dismissed speculation about her marriage and addressed the rumors head on during a podcast episode of The Diary of a CEO in May.
During the episode, she told the hosts, 'If I were having problems with my husband, everybody would know about it.'
Michelle also praised her husband on her latest podcast episode as a 'tremendous father.'
She said that even when Barack was president, he left the job at the door whenever he talked to his daughters to help cultivate their formative years.
Rumors surrounding the Obama's relationship began when Michelle skipped several high-profile events, including Donald Trump's inauguration and former President Jimmy Carter's funeral.
Michelle's lunch trip comes just days after she appeared on Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang's Las Culturistas podcast where she made it clear she doesn't like being referred to as 'Mrs. Obama'.
During their sit-down, Matt revealed that before cameras started rolling, Michelle had asked him not to call her 'Mrs. Obama.'
'Earlier I was like, "Thank you so much, Mrs. Obama," and you said, "Michelle,"' Rogers said.
'I did say that,' Michelle responded with a laugh, before explaining why she likes to avoid the name.
'We cannot have a real conversation if you're saying, "Mrs Obama," that's too many syllables,' the former first lady protested.
Matt then asked if she is usually quick to 'put down that shield for people,' and Michelle claimed that she's generally tries to appear less intimidating.
'I was trying to do that when I was first lady because I just think... I am not that position. I am Michelle,' she explained.
'I'm always trying to break down that wall to say, "We're just all here,"' she continued. 'And the first thing to do is like, let's drop that title, that's a little heavy.'
'I know what we call her - your Highness,' her brother and podcast co-host Craig quipped.
'Well, it's great to be on a first name basis,' Matt joked.
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