WASHINGTON, DC: Michelle Obama, the former first lady may be preparing to trade the flashing cameras of Washington for the slow mornings and cafe terraces of Europe.
According to a source close to Michelle, the 61-year-old has been seriously considering a temporary move abroad, a dream that’s lived in her heart since her teenage years.
Michelle Obama wants to escape the spotlight for a quiet life in Europe
“Michelle has been wanting a lot lately to do things for her, to fulfill some dreams and life goals that she has been having but couldn’t really fulfill due to her life and because of her husband’s responsibilities,” the source told The US Sun.
“But lately, she has been doing things for her, and she has a dream that she has been having since she was a teenager about living out of America for a bit, and spend time in another continent, like Europe,” they added.
The dream isn’t about grandeur, fame, or fortune, it’s about the little things, insisted the source.
“To enjoy espresso at a terrace, eat some pastries, walking down the streets like a normal person and not get any attention, and get away from all the spotlights, that is one goal that she would like to do soon,” spilled the insider.
Michelle has reportedly been drawn to southern Europe, exploring options in countries like France, Italy, Greece, and Spain, places known for their slower pace, rich culture, and less invasive public gaze.
“She loves France, Italy, Spain, Greece, all those Mediterranean countries where the pace of life is slower, and things are simpler,” the source added.
“She is really interested by this possibility, to go there for some months, I don’t know if Barack would join her or not, but she really would love to live this kind of experience as soon as possible,” they disclosed.
Michelle Obama’s absence fuels divorce speculations
Reportedly, Michelle Obama’s desire to go solo has sparked even more buzz, especially in the light of ongoing rumors about her marriage to Barack Obama.
Since late 2024, the couple has been at the center of divorce speculation.
Notably, Michelle was absent from former president Jimmy Carter’s state funeral in January, a move that raised eyebrows when Barack was seen sitting alone between Donald Trump and Laura Bush.
She was also missing from Trump’s inauguration on January 6, where cameras captured Barack entering the Capitol Rotunda alone.
In February, Michelle was spotted dining out in Los Angeles with her brother Craig Robinson, and Barack was nowhere in sight.
Adding fuel to the fire was their joint podcast ‘IMO’, where Michelle candidly shared her frustrations over her husband’s habits, especially his poor punctuality.
“I got this husband who’s like, when it’s time to leave, it’s three o’clock, he’s getting up and going to the bathroom!” Michelle said. “And I was like, ‘Dude, dude, like three o’clock departure means you’ve done all that,’ you know? It’s like, don’t start looking for your glasses, you know, at the three o’clock departure,” she added.
She even revealed how she did not support her husband’s presidential campaign and admitted she needed some convincing from her brother.
“You [Robinson] talked me into supporting his run cause I was definitely like, nope, nope, this is crazy, we’ve done enough crazy stuff,” Michelle said in the podcast.
Michelle Obama responds to divorce rumors
Despite the growing chatter, Michelle Obama recently addressed the divorce rumors on Sophia Bush’s ‘Work in Progress’ podcast.
“That’s the thing that we as women, I think we struggle with disappointing people,” Michelle said.
“I mean, so much so that this year people were, you know, they couldn’t even fathom that I was making a choice for myself that they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing,” she added.
The source told The US Sun that Michelle’s urge to get away is not about running from something, but rather, running toward something she’s never had time for.
“She has been thinking about this a lot lately, and the first conversations about this came up during the last months of 2024, where I really felt that she was a bit fed up and tired of many things,” the insider said.
“She wants to explore, to live a simple life the way she wants, and be free to travel and spend time wherever she wants,” they added.
“She really would like a slower pace of life for a bit, to disconnect from some things in America, and to do things that she was never able to do in a simple way, go to the restaurant without being recognized, going to exhibitions, cultural events, visit museums and historical places, spend quality time and do really simple things for herself,” the insider continued.
“I don’t know if Barack would join, but she feels the need to do things for her own experience, and be a bit more selfish, and putting her needs and goals first on some aspects of her life, like travelling and experiencing life in, a simple way without the whole spotlights and attention that she gets very often,” they further said, adding, “She wants to live a bit without being a public figure, and go somewhere that takes her out of America for a bit, like a mini break, a gateway from her life in the USA.”
