MICHELLE OBAMA VISITS MADAME TUSSAUDS LONDON
TO CELEBRATE BARACK'S FIRST YEAR AS PRESIDENT

19th January 2010 - Michelle Obama joined her husband at Madame Tussauds London today to mark the first anniversary of his inauguration as US President.  The wax figure of the First Lady will be at Madame Tussauds for a limited period only, featuring alongside Mr Obama’s figure which was unveiled at the world famous attraction exactly one year ago.
 
Guests will have the opportunity to meet America’s first couple in a painstaking recreation of the legendary Oval Office but with a touch of domesticity – a selection of family photographs showing some of the Obamas key moments from their first 12 months in the White House will adorn the iconic Resolute desk.  Michelle lives up to her fashion icon status in a stylish sleeveless red dress with black belt and pearl necklace, while President Obama is in a typical informal and relaxed pose, smiling with arms casually folded, dressed in a tailored suit. 
 
Liz Edwards, PR Manager for Madame Tussauds London, said:  “We are thrilled that Michelle is joining Barack in the attraction to celebrate an historic year in office.  President Obama is one of our most popular figures and guests particularly enjoy being able to step into the Oval Office.  Now they get to meet not just Mr President but the Mrs too, and we’re sure it will be a big hit.”
 
The First Lady will be in residence in London until the end of February, when the stunningly life like wax figure will make its way to its permanent home, Madame Tussauds’ latest new attraction, opening in Bangkok this summer.
 
And coming up...
 
DAME HELEN MIRREN AWARDED LATEST ACCOLADE –
A PLACE AT MADAME TUSSAUDS LONDON

Madame Tussauds London announced today that it is creating a wax figure of one of Britain’s most celebrated and best loved actresses, Dame Helen Mirren.  The figure will debut at the world famous attraction in April. 
 
Her inclusion will be yet another accolade for the ever youthful Dame, who has won numerous awards in a career spanning five decades, including four Baftas, four Emmys and a Best Actress Oscar in 2007 for The Queen.
 
Mirren is one of the most prolific and versatile performers in the world with a diverse body of work.  Her performance as Tolstoy’s wife Sofya in the forthcoming film The Last Station, has earned her a Best Actress nomination for both the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards taking place later this month.  With other titles including The Debt and The Tempest due for release over the coming months, she is set to continue to enthral audiences in 2010.
 
The actress will look her sophisticated best in a floor length black dress by Asprey which she donated to the attraction.  The gown was originally worn at the ITV3 Crime Thriller Awards and is teamed with black six inch heels.  She has already given a sitting for the Madame Tussauds studios team, where over 300 measurements and a catalogue of reference shots were taken; the figure will take four months to create and will cost £150,000.

The Tower of London - Exclusive:

..beat the queues with a Private Guided Tour given by our own Yeoman Warder, and be in the first group to see The Crown Jewels..

Following our coach drive past some of Londons most famous landmarks including Big Ben and The Houses of Parliament we enter the The Tower before it opens to the public, guided by our very own Beefeater. We will see Traitors Gate where famous prisoners entered The Tower for the last time, and the scaffold site where the executions took place. We are also the first group to see the Crown Jewels before enjoying free time to explore the Tower further.

Buckingham Palace & guard changing:

Next we head to Buckingham Palace, the official Royal residence of the Queen, to watch the Changing of the Guards ceremony and see the guards dressed in their world famous tunics and busbies. If the Guard Change is not taking place we still stop for photos of the Horseguards

Highlights

Private guided tour of The Tower of London

See Buckingham Palace, Big ben, Royal Albert Hall & more

First group to see the Crown Jewels & thames river cruise

Changing of the Guard & Guided tour of St.Pauls Cathedral

Cruise on the Thames, traditional pub lunch* & Westminster Abbey:

What better way to take in some of Londons finest landmarks than on board a river cruise that gently edges along the Thames? Then join us for a traditional pub lunch* in Whitehall, close to Downing Street, the residence of the Prime Minister. The pub serves fabulous food and is also close to Westminster Abbey giving us the chance to take photos of this historic building during the day.

*Food/drink not included.

St. Pauls Cathedral:

Highlights of a visit to Wrens masterpiece where Princess Diana was married include listening to the 1695 organ that Mendelssohn once played and visiting the tombs of Nelson and Wellington. Your tour with a professional guide will also allow you to test the unique acoustics of the Whispering Gallery, not normally visited by other tour groups. On Sundays, when viewing is restricted, there will be the opportunity to enter and enjoy one of the services.

Royal Albert Hall & Harrods:

To end the day we enjoy a leisurely coach drive through Knightsbridge and Kensington, where we stop for photos in front of the Royal Albert Hall and the Albert memorial. The tour finishes at Harrods, one of the most famous shops in the world, leaving you therest of the afternoon to shop and explore at your leisure.

Tour Info

Tour departs from Victoria Coach Station @ 08.15am Daily
Running Time:TBC