Obama to head to London amid ‘Brexit’ frenzy

LONDON — When President Obama arrives in London late Thursday from his trip to Saudi Arabia, the main chatter here is whether he will wade into the heated debate on whether Britain should vote to leave the European Union.

The president has made no secret of his wish for the United Kingdom to remain in the 28-member alliance. Britain will hold a referendum June 23 on whether to remain in the EU or leave — dubbed Brexit.

“I think his approach will be that if he’s asked his view as a friend, he will offer it, but he will make very clear that this is a matter the British people should decide when they head to the polls in June," Ben Rhodes, the White House deputy national security adviser, told reporters last week.

“I think (the Brexit debate) will be high on the agenda, but at the same time — not,” Maria Savel, an analyst at World Politics Review, told USA TODAY.

“U.S. presidents have always been very wary of wading into domestic issues in other countries,” she added. “He doesn’t want to appear to step on any toes. I don’t think he’s going to make an issue of it, but if he’s asked by the press, he’ll offer his opinion.”

Obama will also have ample opportunity to socialize with the royal family during his visit.

The president and first lady will have lunch Friday with Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle — the day after the monarch turns 90 — and dine with Prince William, Duchess Kate and Prince Harry at Kensington Palace later that day.

“The phrase special relationship has long been used about the relationship between the U.K. and the U.S. — these two encounters underline just how special the relationship is. These are reunions of old friends,” Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine.

The Obamas met the queen in 2009, when the monarch breached royal protocol by putting her arm around Michelle Obama — who hugged her — and again on a state visit to Britain in 2011.

William and Kate met the president soon after the couple returned from their honeymoon in 2011 and during their 2014 U.S. tour. Harry has met Obama and worked with the first lady on the Invictus games, a sports event for wounded servicemembers and veterans.

Little said such meetings between the Obamas and Britain’s royals were not a duty, but “very much a pleasure.”

“It’s unusual to have two such events in one day, and I would suggest, on one trip,” he said.

Also on Obama's agenda is a meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron and holding a town hall with local youth during his London visit Friday and Saturday, part of a six-day tour to three countries.

Security, as always, will be paramount. Drones will be banned from flying in parts of the U.K.’s capital during Obama’s visit, which comes days after a British Airways passenger plane hit what is thought to be a drone as it approached Heathrow Airport.

Obama will head to Germany on Sunday, where he will visit the Hannover Messe industrial trade fair, meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel and give a speech about the relationship between Europe and the United States.