Britain's Queen Elizabeth has sent a message of support to Barack Obama. The monarch sent her good wishes in private correspondence to the new U.S. president - the 12th to lead America in her reign - but the exact words have not been released.
Since becoming queen in 1952, she has met every U.S. president apart from Lyndon Johnson.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has told ministers he intends to work closely with the new president on a wide range of issues, saying he "shares many of the same values" as the American leader.
He is also writing to Barack to congratulate him on entering office. According to his spokesperson, the correspondence will also say that Britain "stands ready to work very closely with his administration on many of the international challenges that we face."
The spokesperson also played down rumors that the Prime Minister is in competition with other European leaders to be the first to receive an invitation to the White House to visit the new president.
The representative said: "I would remind you that George Bush's first meeting with a European leader was with President Chirac of France, so we wouldn't attach too much importance to who has what meetings when."
"The important thing is whether or not you share the same values and have similar approaches and are able to work together on challenges."
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