(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Britain's Duke and Duchess of Cambridge carried out their first royal duty as a married couple today, meeting US President Barack Obama.

The leader and his wife, First Lady Michelle Obama, are in the UK for the next few days and enjoyed an informal talk with newlyweds William and Catherine, who was showing off a healthy tan from her honeymoon. The group met in the lavish 1844 room in Buckingham Palace and are believed to have spent around 20 minutes together. It is thought Barack and Michelle were keen to congratulate the royal couple on their recent marriage and also discuss their impending trip to the US. William and Catherine are set to visit America and Canada in a few weeks, in their first overseas tour as a married couple.

This is the first time Catherine has undertaken a role as a member of the British royal family since she married William at Westminster Abbey last month.

The meeting took place before William's grandmother Queen Elizabeth II hosted a special lunch at Buckingham Palace, to formally welcome the president to the UK.

Barack, who did not attend the royal wedding, recently revealed he was fascinated by the lavish nuptials when he met William's father Prince Charles in Washington.

The Obamas will spend two nights at Buckingham Palace before continuing their tour of the UK. They were forced to cut short their trip to the Republic of Ireland this week after a moving ash cloud from an erupting volcano in Iceland threatened to delay their flight to London. (C) Cover Media