Michelle Obama Promotes 'Let Girls Learn' in Pretty Preen Dress

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Michelle Obama leaves the plane in England, along with her daughters, Malia (center) and Sasha. (Photo: Getty Images)

Michelle Obama is in London for just two days (before moving on to other parts of the United Kingdom and to Italy for a weeklong trip), and she’s already off to a fashionable — and productive — start.

On Monday, the first lady disembarked at Stansted Airport wearing a bright summer-friendly dress from Preen by Thornton Bregazzi. A similar version from the Resort 2015 collection is available for $1,523, but her frock appears to be custom, with added sleeves, a black belt, and more of a flare in the skirt than the original pencil dress.

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Left: The dress in its original incarnation on the market. Right: Obama in her modified version. (Photos: Courtesy of Preen; Getty Images)

The 51-year-old is actually a fan of the British-based brand and has worn Preen pieces on multiple occasions (not just when the setting calls for a local designer), including an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman and during one of the last election’s presidential debates.

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Her daughters, Malia, 17, and Sasha, 14, accompanied her on the trip and were the epitome of teenage cool in minidresses and flats. Malia, who’s rumored to be applying to colleges in New York, wore a navy blue-and-sunflower print shift paired with powder-blue Mary Janes. Sasha, on the other hand, wore a black-and-white polka dot frock with black ballet flats. The first lady’s mother, Marian Robinson, joined the family as well.

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Across the pond to promote her Let Girls Learn initiative, the first lady started her day by sharing a cup of tea with Prince Harry. They spoke of their shared interests, including supporting veterans and their families.

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Michelle Obama and Prince Harry sipping tea. (Photo: Getty Images)

Following the royal welcome to the United Kingdom, the crew moved on to the Mulberry School for Girls. Wearing a multicolored paisley print dress, Obama told the crowd of students waving U.S. flags, “With an education from this amazing school, you all have everything — everything you need to rise above all of the noise and fulfill every last one of your dreams.” She continued, “And it is so important that you do that, not just for yourselves but for all of us. Because you all have a unique perspective; you have a unique voice to add to the conversation.“

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Michelle Obama at the Mulberry School in London. (Photo: Getty Images)

And she’s not all talk. As part of her stay, the first lady announced a series of new partnerships between the U.S. and the U.K. to provide improved education to adolescent girls in developing countries, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, and Liberia.

Later, she’ll met with British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife, Samantha. Whether or not tea was involved has yet to be announced, but Michelle did make a change. For the afternoon stop, she switched into a less busy but just as sweet dress. The simple black three-quarter sleeved dress featured an embroidered bouquet of flowers on the chest with floating petals flowing down the skirt. 

Her daughters were also on hand at Downing Street, each standing out in bright colors.

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