| − | The '''First Lady''' is the unofficial title given to the hostess of the White House, usually the wife of the [[President of the United States]] of America. When a sitting president is either a bachelor or a widower, or the wife is unable to fulfill the role of hostess, the role may be filled by another female relative. The current First Lady is [[Michelle Obama]]. | + | The '''First Lady''' is the unofficial title given to the hostess of the White House, usually the wife of the [[President of the United States]] of America. When a sitting president is either a bachelor or a widower, or the wife is unable to fulfill the role of hostess, the role may be filled by another female relative. The current First Lady is [[Michelle Obama]]. |
| | + | The First Lady is an unusual position in the US, in that she has a state role, albeit a ceremonial one, without having been directly elected. This situation is far more common in some other countries, such as the [[United Kingdom]], where members of the royal family perform comparable hosting and ceremonial duties. |