LONDON // Prince Charming had tea with the queen, breakfast with the Browns and, somewhere in between, tried to save the world. Untroubled by the demonstrations being staged in various parts of the capital, Barack Obama, on his first overseas sortie as US president to meet fellow world leaders, laid the groundwork for today's G20 summit by criss-crossing London yesterday in a charm offensive designed to prove once and for all that the one thing he is not is George W Bush. The leaders of the world's major economies will attempt to hammer out the nitty-gritty at today's summit, but yesterday was a day for Mr Obama to lay the groundwork for relationships that could largely determine where the world is heading in the coming years. Crucially, after he and wife Michelle had breakfast at Downing Street - where the president engaged the prime minister's two young sons in a discussion about dinosaurs - Mr Obama met the Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, and Hu Jintao, the Chinese leader. There was much talk about the need for global action to tackle global problems. More important, though, was the personal rapport Mr Obama established with the other leaders and the behind-the-scenes talk covering Iran, Afghanistan, the Palestinian territories and much more. The fruits of his labours, bitter or sweet, will not be apparent for months, probably years, but as he whizzed around London in "the Beast", his US$300,000 (Dh1.1 million), armour-plated limousine, the augurs looked good. Indeed, the only cloud on the horizon came from the grumpy French and German presidents who said they would not sign up to a global stimulus package to get the world economies moving again. But that is for another day ? today, in fact. Yesterday was all about the new US president proving his mettle to fellow world leaders, watched by a global audience agog at his every move. He did not disappoint. At his press conference at Downing Street with Mr Brown, which ran almost twice as long as expected, he appeared confident and relaxed in a blue striped tie that complemented, not coincidentally no doubt, the colour of his wife's skirt. Shrewdly, he dodged a question about England's chances of victory in a World Cup qualifying match last evening, saying he had not been briefed and that, anyway, had already got into enough trouble for his picks in the "March madness" college basketball tournament in the United States. But he pushed all the right buttons as he spoke of the "extraordinary affinity and kinship" between the people of Britain and America, striking a much warmer note than he did when Mr Brown became the first foreign leader to visit Mr Obama in the White House. Later, the prime minister, who could do with losing the odd kilo or two in weight, marvelled at the fact that the president had told him that he ran every day on a treadmill, even in the gym on Air Force One. "I don't know how he does it," Mr Brown said with a shake of his jowls. As a bonus, nobody threw their shoes during the 45-minute session. Then Mr Obama headed off for his first meeting with Mr Medvedev, though he disclosed that he had already had several lengthy phone conversations with his Russian counterpart. Lunch followed before his meeting with the Chinese, where he listened sympathetically to their demands for a greater say in global affairs and organisations. In late afternoon, he and his wife headed off for a private audience with Queen Elizabeth. It was a meeting both had wanted, the queen apparently fascinated by a US president she believes has rekindled the sort of spirit not experienced since Kennedy. Mr Obama was the 11th president the queen had met. Since she ascended to the throne more than 50 years ago, the only one she did not meet was Lyndon Johnson; the joke has always been that she did not want to because of his alleged habit of picking his dogs up by the ears. The president admitted beforehand that the meeting with the queen would be one of the high spots of the trip. He also admitted that Michelle Obama had been as nervous as a kitten about it. "Michelle has really been thinking that through," he said with a smile. Mrs Obama herself, who arrived in Downing Street wearing a sky blue skirt and white, decorated top, spent much of the day being shown round London by Sarah Brown, the prime minister's wife. The pair's itinerary included a trip to Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre in west London, where cheering crowds chanted her name. She shared make-up tips with cancer sufferers receiving cosmetic advice, the first lady praising her own, "wonderful" make-up artists. Mrs Obama later described the centre as "pretty incredible. It's an oasis - an oasis that's necessary for people who are struggling." The first couple continued on their mission to woo and wow the crowds and the leaders they met, culminating with a formal dinner last night for all the G20 leaders at Buckingham Palace. "I have come to listen, not to lecture," Mr Obama said. He did not sound like George Bush at all. dsapsted@thenational.ae