There is little question that President Barack Obama is a man with rather thin skin, as he often bristles and lashes out at the slightest criticism or potential offense.
This fact must have been on the minds of the British royal family and their aides, as it has been revealed that a plaque for a prominent painting in the sitting room of Kensington Palace was removed right before Obama arrived for a visit, out of fear that he might be offended.
According to the U.K.’s The Sun, the plaque was for an oil painting named “The Negro Page,” which featured a young black servant boy holding the reins of two bridled and saddled horses while their presumptive riders talk together off to the side.
The piece of artwork was painted in 1660 by Dutch artist Aelbert Cuyp, and was specifically chosen from the Royal Art Collection by Kate Middleton to adorn the wall of the sitting room in the palatial apartment she shares with Prince William.
Mere moments before Obama and wife Michelle arrived for a visit with the prince, his wife, and their young son, a no-doubt frantic aide noticed the plaque with the title of the painting and quickly removed it with a screwdriver, placing a small plant in front of where the plaque would have been to disguise its absence.
“Everyone knew this was the first time cameras had been allowed into the duke and duchess’ private home, so everything had been prepped accordingly,” a source told The Sun. “Imagine the horror when someone spotted the N-word on the huge painting that dominated the sitting room.”