Barack and Michelle Obama vacation on Steven Spielberg’s luxury yacht off Portofino
Former president and first lady spend weekend with director, addressing divorce rumors
Barack and Michelle Obama spent a sun-filled weekend aboard Steven Spielberg’s $250 million superyacht off the coast of Portofino, Italy. The former president and first lady were seen in sequence aboard the vessel, with Friday marking the start of their private maritime retreat.
The former first lady was photographed arriving at the filmmaker’s yacht on Friday, where Spielberg greeted her with a warm embrace as she stepped onto the deck. Baracking and Michelle’s appearance together on the yacht underscored a high-profile weekend that drew attention from fans and outlets tracking celebrity travel.
Barack Obama joined later, escorted by security, wearing a brown shirt, white pants and a white hat, while Michelle wore a Canadian tuxedo, sunglasses and a black backpack for the outing. The two were later photographed lounging on the deck and engaging in conversation with Spielberg as the weekend unfolded.
On Sunday the couple lounged around the yacht and shared a sit-down conversation with Spielberg, a scene captured by photographers and described as a rare, relaxed moment in the filmmaker’s company. The embrace and casual posture suggested a united front during a weekend that took place amid persistent, though repeatedly debunked, rumors about their marriage.
The outing comes after a wave of speculation about their relationship that the couple and their team have consistently sought to quell. The rumors gained traction earlier in the year when Barack attended former president Jimmy Carter’s funeral services and Donald Trump’s second-term inauguration, events that tabloids cited as signs of strain. Michelle has long addressed the chatter, including in interviews and on the Work in Progress podcast, where she explained that she has stepped back from some appearances and sought balance without diminishing the marriage.
Michelle has said there has never been a moment in their marriage when she considered ending the relationship, a comment she has reiterated in public appearances and on social media with affectionate tributes to Barack on occasions that mark their longstanding partnership. The couple — who married in 1992 and share two daughters, Malia, 27, and Sasha, 24 — have consistently presented a united front in public, even as they maintain demanding professional and philanthropic schedules.
The weekend aboard Spielberg’s yacht reflects the Obamas’ continued engagement with major cultural figures and events, while maintaining a comparatively low-profile personal life when not in the public eye. Their collaboration with Spielberg and the setting off the Italian coast provided a rare backdrop for a private family dynamic and a high-profile professional circle to intersect in a leisurely context.
