12 of Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden's Sweetest Friendship Moments

From Oprah Magazine

While the bromance between former president Barack Obama and President-elect Joe Biden has often taken center stage, Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden have also developed a friendship full of sweet moments over the years since their husbands took office. From campaigning together back in 2008 to trips overseas, the 2012 reelection, inaugurations, public appearances, and more, the former and future first ladies have often shared social media posts that illustrate their close relationship.

"It was an instant bond...we just knew we would be friends," Dr. Biden said in a joint interview with People in 2016, as she and Mrs. Obama explained how they had both been Senate spouses when they first met in Springfield, Illinois. "Even if we don't see one another for maybe a month because we're both in different places, we get together, and it's like that friend that you see a couple years later. And it's like you never—you know," Dr. Biden said, implying that their friendship has stayed strong even when they don't see each other often.

Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden have also posted sweet messages on social media. "I'm so fortunate to have gotten to know [Dr. Biden] while we were in the White House," Mrs. Obama shared in a recent Instagram post ahead of the 2020 election. "She was my partner-in-crime."

In honor of the strong friendship between the former first lady and the future first lady, we took a look at some of Michelle Obama and Jill Biden's sweetest moments in the spotlight together.

May 2019: Michelle Obama supports Jill Biden's new memoir

"Through our work together to honor and support military families, I saw what an inspiration Jill Biden is to those around her," Mrs. Obama wrote in an Instagram post supporting Dr. Biden's 2019 memoir, Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself.

January 2017: President Donald Trump's inauguration

As is custom, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Joe Biden, and Jill Biden all attended President Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20, 2017. Due to wet conditions, Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden were photographed leaning in to each other while sharing a large, transparent umbrella.

May 2016: Both women appeared on The Voice.

To celebrate the fifth anniversary of Joining Forces—a national initiative started by Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden to support service members, veterans and their families—the two women made an appearance on the singing competition show, The Voice. Here, they are pictured next to host Carson Daly.

October 2015: Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden make an appearance with Prince Harry.

The then-First and Second Lady had fun while watching a Wounded Warriors wheelchair basketball game in Virginia with Prince Harry, who visited to highlight Invictus Games, an international sports competition for wounded service members that he founded in 2014.

May 2014: The two women hosted an annual Mother's Day tea in the White House.

"[Jill] is just an amazing partner and she's somebody that I look up to because she handles a lot," Mrs. Obama said at one of their annual Mother's Day tea events for military mothers. "She's a mom, a grandma, she's teaching everyday, and then she does these duties."

November 2012: Election Night

The then-First and Second Lady hugged on stage as they celebrated the 2012 Obama-Biden reelection victory in Chicago, Illinois.

September 2012: The Democratic National Convention

Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina for the 2012 Democratic National Convention, where their husbands accepted the nomination to run for a second term as president and vice president.

April 2011: The First and Second Lady announced their Joining Forces initiative.

On April 12, 2011, Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden came together at the White House to launch their joint initiative dedicated to supporting and rallying around America's service members and their families. Then-President Obama and Vice President Biden were both in attendance at the event.

April 2010: Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden went on a foreign trip together.

For her first solo foreign trip since President Obama took office in January 2009, Mrs. Obama was accompanied by Jill Biden as they made an unannounced stop in Haiti (on their way to Mexico) following the devastating 2010 earthquake.

January 2009: Inauguration Day

On a cold January day in 2009, Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden bundled up to attend the inauguration of President Obama and Vice President Biden on the western front of the U.S. Capitol.

November 2008: Election Day

Following former president Obama's historic victory speech on election night in 2008, Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden came out to greet the crowd gathered at the election party in Chicago, Illinois, where the campaign was headquartered.

August 2008: Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden hit the campaign trail together ahead of the 2008 election.

On August 23, 2008, Barack Obama announced in Springfield, Illinois, that he had selected Joe Biden to be his vice presidential running mate. Since then, Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden have spent many hours on planes together.

"She's a lot of fun. I think our staffs get along well together. And we just get on the plane and..." Dr. Biden started telling People, to which Mrs. Obama added, laughing, "...and have a little wine." Dr. Biden, who kept her job as professor, is often grading papers while traveling, but after she finishes her work, "we can talk, we can play," said Mrs. Obama.

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