Michelle Obama was spotted out and about for the first time since separation rumors with former President Barack Obama surfaced online.
The former First Lady enjoyed a fun evening with her older brother, Craig Robinson, 62, at Mother Wolf, a popular restaurant in Los Angeles, Hollywood on Thursday night.
Putting the rumors aside, Michelle, who turned 61 last month, appeared in good spirits, laughing and smiling with her sibling as they exited the venue via the side door.
The smiling former first lady was sporting a noticeably youthful glow, unlike her tired and haggard appearance in the photo posted by Barack on her birthday last month.
Their departure was marked by heightened security, as the street was temporarily closed down, with Secret Service cars and police vehicles pictured at the scene.
The outing highlighted the close sibling bond between Michelle and Craig, offering a glimpse of warmth and joy amid the ongoing speculation of trouble in her marriage to the former president.
She has kept a low profile since November, skipping former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral and President Trump’s inauguration as rumors swirled about the state of her marriage.
Now DailyMail.com can reveal Michelle Obama is back and was seen looking fresh-faced and happy during a dinner with her older brother.
Michelle Obama was spotted stepping out with her brother Craig Robinson, in her first public appearance since rumors began to swirl that she and husband Barack Obama are heading for a divorce
Rumors aside, Michelle appeared fresh-faced and in good spirits on Thursday night, laughing and smiling with her brother as they exited the venue via the side door
The former First Lady enjoyed a fun evening with her older brother Craig at Mother Wolf, a popular restaurant in Hollywood
The former First Lady had put her absence down to an extended vacation at the couple’s lavish Hawaii home which sits on the icing sugar sand of Waimanalo Beach.
With Michelle enjoying a tropical break, husband Barack Obama attended both events alone and was photographed chatting animatedly with Trump at the funeral, while First Lady Melania sat silently on his other side.
But her ongoing absence also sparked fears for the state of their marriage, with Barack spending most of his time in DC and in LA, where their two daughters Malia and Sasha live.
Last week, Obama attempted to quash the speculation by posting a loved-up selfie of the couple smiling on Instagram for Valentine’s Day.
‘Thirty-two years together and you still take my breath away. Happy Valentine’s Day, Michelle Obama!’ the Democrat wrote in a social media caption.
It was unclear when the image was taken, but Michelle shared the same selfie on her own account.
She wrote: ‘If there’s one person I can always count on, it’s you, Barack Obama. You’re my rock. Always have been. Always will be. Happy Valentine’s Day, honey!’
The photo, which included palm trees in the background, suggested the family was finally together again in California.
Michelle was seen sporting a youthful glow during the outing, unlike in the photo posted by Barack on her birthday last month when she appeared tired and haggard (pictured)
‘Happy birthday to the love of my life, @MichelleObama,’ he wrote, alongside a snap that showed them holding hands while enjoying dinner
The mom-of-two, who turned 61 last month, was typically stylish in an all-black outfit comprised of wide-leg pants and a fitted t-shirt topped with a faux fur jacket
Her hair was pulled back in a dramatic high ponytail which showed off a pair of statement silver earrings
DailyMail.com’s exclusive photos confirm they were taken at ultra-fashionable Los Feliz restaurant Mother Wolf – the same eatery where Michelle was last seen in public back in December.
On that occasion, she was joined by her husband for an intimate dinner.
Last month, Barack had also shared a gushing tribute to the ‘love of his life’ on Michelle’s 61st birthday.
‘Happy birthday to the love of my life, @MichelleObama,’ he wrote, alongside a snap that showed them holding hands while enjoying dinner.
On Thursday night, onlookers said the former First Lady’s arrival saw the street outside temporarily shut down while Michelle and Craig made their way into the venue accompanied by her Secret Service protection detail.
She was typically stylish in an all-black outfit comprised of wide-leg pants and a fitted t-shirt topped with a faux fur jacket.
Her hair was pulled back in a dramatic high ponytail which showed off a pair of statement silver earrings.
Neither Barack, 63, nor Craig’s wife Kelly McCrum attended the siblings-only outing.
The outing highlighted the close sibling bond between Michelle and Craig, offering a glimpse of warmth and joy amid the ongoing speculation
Up until now, Michelle had kept a low profile since November, skipping former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral and President Trump’s inauguration
Neither Barack, 63, nor Craig’s wife Kelly McCrum were present at the siblings-only outing
Dec 2024: Barack and Michelle Obama on cozy date night at LA hotspot
Robinson, who is known to enjoy a close relationship with his sister, is the executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches which is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri.
A dad of four, Robinson has been married twice and has an adult son and a daughter from his first marriage and two younger boys from his second.
The Obamas’ daughters Malia, 26, and Sasha, 23, also missed out on dinner but have been previously photographed at the ultra-trendy Italian hotspot.
According to its website, the menu is a tribute to the Eternal City [Rome] while the logo features Romulus and Remus – the city’s mythical founding fathers – suckling from the wolf that raised them after they were abandoned.
Highlights include an $88 grilled seabass served with spinach and sultanas, a $40 octopus dish jazzed up with spicy Italian ‘Nduja sausage and a $200 38oz steak served with fries.
For pasta lovers, there is a $26 spin on the classic cacio e pepe and a $30 spaghetti dish made with cavolo nero and Romanesco.
Pizza is also on the menu with options ranging from a classic Quattro Formaggi for $28, to more unusual takes such as the $32 Fiore which is topped with burrata cheese and squash blossoms.
The Obamas have been spending an increasing amount of time in California since 2021 when eldest daughter Malia relocated to LA after graduating from Harvard to pursue a career in screen writing and film production.
Their departure was marked by heightened security, as the street was temporarily closed down, with Secret Service cars and police vehicles pictured at the scene
The last time the former president and first lady were seen together was in mid-December, when they stepped out for dinner in Los Angeles (seen)
Barack and Michelle appeared to shut down divorce rumors when they shared an affectionate selfie on Valentine’s Day on social media – marking the first time they have been seen together in weeks
Famously, the Golden State was their first stop after leaving the White House in 2016 with the former First Couple treating their family to a vacation in a secluded Palm Springs mansion.
Since then, their love of the famously Liberal state has only grown with younger daughter Sasha transferring to the University of Southern California from the University of Michigan in 2022.
After graduating with a degree in sociology, Sasha has shown interest in following her sister into the entertainment business.
In an interview with People in 2022 to promote her book The Light That We Carry, Michelle said her daughters’ decision to move in together had left her delighted.
‘You try not to react too much because it’s like, you don’t want to go, “Oh my gosh, I’m so happy for you!” because then they think, “Well, maybe this is not a good thing if my mom likes it,” ‘she told the magazine of their choice.
Michelle Obama, right, and her brother Craig Robinson, left, speak during the Obama Foundation Summit at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago in 2019
Michelle Obama describes her wedding day as ‘bittersweet’
‘So I just said, “Okay, well that’s interesting that you guys are going to try living together. We’ll see how it goes.”
‘But yeah, it feels good to know that the two girls you raised find solace at a kitchen table with one another. It’s like the one thing you want for them.’
In the same interview, Michelle also revealed the duo had been furnishing their pad with items from IKEA and had hosted their parents for pre-dinner cocktails, while laughing that they made them too weak.
