After a final lunch with G20 spouses, Jill Biden, First Lady, made a surprise visit to the Borghese gallery in Rome on Sunday night.
FLOTUS, dressed casually in an olive jacket over a cream top, leather pants and black over-the-knee boots, paired with a blue scarf and a black face mask, roamed through the grand galleries looking at classic sculptures and paintings and modern pieces by British artist Damien Hirst.
“It took your breath away, wasn’t it?” She said this after the tour.
Museum director Francesca Cappelletti played tour guide, as tourists who recognized her were heard excitedly saying, ‘first lady!’
“Is that all from one marble piece? FLOTUS inquired about a large female nude statue, Antonio Canova’s Portrait Of Paolina Bonaparte Bonaparte As Venus Victrix. It dates back to 1805-1808.
First Lady Jill Biden (right) walks through the Borghese Gallery and Museum in Rome Sunday night with director Francesca Cappelletti (left). Here she takes in Antonio Canova’s Portrait of Paolina Borghese Bonaparte as Venus Victrix
Biden had not planned to make the trip. For the tour she dressed casually in an olive jacket over a cream top, leather pants and black over-the-knee boots, paired with a blue scarf and a black face mask
Biden marveled over one of the museum’s Berninis, a prominent Italian sculptor.
“Is that all from one marble piece? FLOTUS inquired about a large female nude statue, Antonio Canova’s Portrait Of Paolina Bonaparte Bonaparte As Venus Victrix
She marveled at the unique brown color of some busts dating back to 18 century and spent several minutes admiring large sculptures of two people and a three-headed dog.
Biden was able to see several of the museums prized Berninis, and admired hieroglyphics in a room that included a modern interpretation of King Tut’s mask by Hirst.
She said, “It’s bright, right?” in the next room. The painting depicts a ‘boy with a basket full of fruit’ by Caravaggio.
When asked if she had had fun with the G20 spouses she replied ‘ofcourse’. She had also lunched with them earlier Sunday at Capitoline Museums.
Maria Cappello (the host of partner events), was Mario Draghi, the Italian Prime Minister.
For the more formal affair, she wore her black boots paired with a green floral gown.
She was captured holding court with Spain’s Begona Sanchez and Joachim Sauer, the husband of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
She will split from President Joe Biden on Monday. He’s heading to Glasgow, Scotland to attend the COP26 Climate Summit. She’ll head south to Naples to visit a DOD funded high school.
Biden spent time at G20 with both Emmanuel Macron the French President and Brigitte his wife Brigitte as the U.S. sought to repair relations with its oldest ally following the submarine row.
First Lady Jill Biden (right) is spotted on a balcony speaking with Begona Sanchez (left), wife of Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, at the farewell luncheon for G20 spouses on Sunday
First Lady Jill Biden (center left) speaks with Begona Sanchez (left), wife of Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, at a farewell event for G20 spouses held Sunday afternoon at the Capitoline Museums in Rome
From left: Joachim Sauer, husband of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Begona Sanchez, wife of Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, First Lady Jill Biden, Fabiola Yanez, partner of Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez and Kim Jung-sook, wife of South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in
First Lady Jill Biden (center) speaks with Joachim Sauer (left), husband of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s wife Maria Cappello (right)
First Lady Jill Biden speaks with a group young women as she leaves Sunday’s farewell dinner for G20 spouses
First Lady Jill Biden is seen greeting Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s wife Maria Cappello on the stairs of the Piazza del Capidigolio
She stunned in a sparkly lilac fitted dress by Ralph Lauren at Saturday night’s G20 dinner, which took place at the 16th century Quirinale Palace in Rome.
At the dinner, Sergio Mattarella, the Italian President hosted, the spouses and leaders were split up.
So Dr. Biden sat next to the French president, while President Joe Biden was seated next to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Dr. Biden had previously met President Macron when they represented their respective nations at the opening ceremony for the Tokyo Olympics in August.
After the ceremony, the first lady was joined by the French president for several sporting events.
Saturday dinner was a buffet of marinated salmon and risotto (pumpkin and white truffle), roasted artichoke and seabass.
First Lady Jill Biden (center left) wore a sparkly lilac fitted dress by Ralph Lauren at Saturday night’s G20 dinner. Here she poses with (from left) Maria Serenella Cappello, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, President Joe Biden, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and daughter Laura Mattarella
Jill Biden (upper right) was seated at G20 dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron. She had spent time with Macron in July as they both represented their respective countries at the opening ceremony for the Tokyo Olympic Games.
President Joe Biden (third from right) was seated next to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (right) during an official dinner at the G20 Saturday night in Rome
Earlier Saturday, Jill Biden joined the other G20 spouses Saturday for a private lunch at Villa Doria Pamphilj, looking friendly with U.K. Prime Minister’s Boris Johnson’s wife Carrie as they walked through the grounds.
According to the first lady’s spokesperson, Johnson and Biden walked side by side as they took a group photo. Johnson wore a Zara blazer in bright red and a camel dress while Johnson wore a brown blazer.
Begona, the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, walked near.
A number of spouses were seen in Rome’s Colosseum, but the American first Lady was not there.
Friday saw Biden and Brigitte Macron spend time in Rome sipping Chardonnay.
First Lady Jill Biden (fifth from left) joined other G20 spouses for a closed-door luncheon at Villa Doria Pamphilj on Saturday
First Lady Jill Biden was spotted chatting with U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s wife Carrie (in red blazer) after a spouse luncheon at Villa Doria Pamphilj on Saturday. The two spouses walked behind Olga Khromchenko, a member of the Russian delegation
The G20 spouses walked around the grounds of Villa Doria Pamphilj on Saturday, where they took a group photo
First Lady Jill Biden is seen walking into a spouses luncheon Saturday at Villa Doria Pamphilj, a villa surrounded by Rome’s largest public park
Dr. Biden wasn’t photographed among the G20 spouses who visited the Colosseum on Saturday including Carrie Johnson (center in red), Italian prime minister’s wife Serenella Cappello (sixth from right) and French First Lady Brigitte Macron (fourth from right)
Carrie Johnson and other G20 leaders are photographed at the Colosseum in Rome, Saturday.
Carrie Johnson (left), and Brigitte McMahon (right) spoke at the Colosseum in Rome, Saturday
(From left) Brigitte Macron, Carrie Johnson and Italian prime minister’s wife Serenella Cappello at the Colosseum in Rome on Saturday
The first two ladies were almost twins, as the petite blondes wore navy suits with navy heels.
Both blondes were petite and wore navy suits with navy heels.
They got together at a restaurant called Il Marchese, ahead of their husbands’ first meeting since France was blindsided by Australia pulling out of a submarine deal to join a security pact with the United States and the United Kingdom.
After the meeting, Biden, 68, stood alongside Macron, 68, and said that it was a wonderful time.
She cooed, “It is nice, two friends together. Just like sisters.”
The women drank Chardonnay and shared small bites.
Biden was coy when asked what they ate or drank.
She paused and said, “Well, then.” “Practically nothing.”
After sipping Chardonnay in Rome with Brigitte Macron, First Lady Jill Biden (right), said, “It’s nice to have two friends together, just as sisters,”
First Lady Jill Biden (left), First Lady Brigitte Macron from France (right), wore navy suits with heels for their get together at Il Marchese. It took place as President Joe Biden & French President Emmanuel Macron held a bilateral meet in Rome Friday night.
Biden waves at reporters gathered outside Il Marchese in Rome, a restaurant near the Tiber River.
Biden was the first American to arrive in France as the first lady of the French Republic. She and the American first Lady spent time together at the June spouses event at the G7
After spending time together, First Lady Brigitte Macron of France (left) and First lady Jill Biden (right), they spoke to reporters. They met their husbands at a restaurant in Rome on sidelines for the G20.
Jill Biden will meet First Lady Macron as part of her busy schedule over four days in Italy.
Biden, whose family hails from Italy, spoke glowingly of this year’s G20 host country.
“We’ve been here so many times. I love Italy, Brigitte loves Italy. Who wouldn’t love Italy? It has everything we love, right? She said.
CNN reported Friday that the Bidens spent Thanksgiving in Rome after Beau, their son, died in 2015.
As she arrived at the restaurant, located on a narrow street near the Tiber river, Biden was asked about her earlier meeting with Pope Francis she attended alongside President Joe Biden.
She said, “It was wonderful, and he was fantastic,” to reporters standing outside the restaurant’s doors.
Macron, who arrived second in line, agreed when Dr. Biden asked her if she was excited to meet up with her.
First Lady Jill Biden (right), arrived in Rome early Friday morning along with President Joe Biden. She has her own packed itinerary while in Italy through Monday
Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States, speaks to children’s theatre performers at a G7 event along with Carrie Johnson (left), and Brigitte Macron(right), whom she will meet in Rome Friday afternoon
Brigitte Macron (right), and First Lady Jill Biden (2nd from right) are pictured side-by-side at a spouses’ event held in June as part of the G7 in Cornwall
She and Macron had They spent time together at a spouses gathering at the G7 Cornwall in June. It was the Bidens’ first overseas trip after the president was sworn in in January.
Biden and Cappello had tea at the Chigi Palace earlier Friday, while President Biden met the Italian prime minister.
After a weekend of private spouse events, the first lady will do a solo trip to Naval Support Activity Naples on Monday, where about 8,500 U.S. troops work.
The first lady will be visiting Naples Middle High School (a school managed by the Department of Defense), where she will meet with students and teachers, and then give a speech.
This event will bring together Biden’s “Joining Forces” initiative (which she started with former First lady Michelle Obama in 2011 but restarted earlier this years) and her career as an English teacher.
Joining Forces offers support to military personnel, veterans and their families.
First Lady Jill Biden (center right) speaks with Uberto Vanni d’Archirafi (center left), the Senior Official of the Diplomatic Protocol of the Italian Republic, on the tarmac at Rome Fiumicino International Airport early Friday morning
First Lady Jill Biden (left), escorts President Joe Biden to the Beast when they arrive in Rome, Italy for the G20 events.
First Lady Jill Biden (center) hugs Sarb Edmund (second from left) the 89th Airlift Wing Senior/Training Protocol Specialist, as she and President Joe Biden depart for Rome from Joint Base Andrews Thursday
First Lady Jill Biden (right), and President Joe Biden set off for Rome on Thursday morning. They will part ways Monday, with the president heading to Scotland for COP26 while the first lady is going to Naples to visit a Defense Department funded high school at a U.S. military base.
Biden continues to instruct community college classes, making her the first and only woman to ever hold an external job.
Biden had a similar busy schedule on her first solo international trip. She was representing the United States in the Tokyo summer Olympics opening ceremony.
There, the first lady held court with then Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and his wife Mariko, watched the Olympics with French President Emmanuel Macron, attended an event with heads of delegations at Tokyo’s Imperial Palace and hosted an Olympics watch party for American diplomats at the ambassador’s residence in Tokyo.
She visited Alaska and Hawaii to advocate for COVID-19 vaccines.
FLOTUS was also present at a barbecue for military personnel and their family members in Honolulu as part of Joining Forces.