Marian Robinson, the mother of former US First Lady Michelle Obama, has died at 86, the Obama family has announced.
In a statement, the family said that Robinson died “peacefully” on Friday morning.
Robinson was a well-known fixture at the White House during the eight years of Barack Obama’s administration between 2009 and 2017.
She spent much of that time taking care of her two granddaughters, Michelle and Barack Obama’s daughters Malia and Sasha.
In a statement posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Mr Obama said that “there was and will be only one Marian Robinson”.
“In our sadness, we are lifted up by the extraordinary gift of her life,” he added. “And we will spend the rest of ours trying to live up to her example.”
No further details were released about the cause of death.
Robinson grew up one of seven children in Chicago, the city where she spent much of her life before agreeing to come to Washington DC after Mr Obama’s electoral victory. (BBC)
