Barack Obama absent at Muhammad Ali funeral to see eldest daughter Malia graduate

President Barack Obama missed the funeral of boxing legend Muhammad Ali yesterday to see his eldest daughter, Malia, graduate from high school.
Malia, 17, took part in the commencement ceremony at Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C.
The children of several presidents, including the children of Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton, also attended Sidwell.
President Obama , as well as First Lady Michelle, both attended the ceremonies at the school’s campus in northwest Washington.

Tuition at the selective Quaker school is currently £27,698 ($39,360) a year, though the school emphasises that many students receive financial aid.
“I do a lot of commencements around this time of year which I love doing, although my older daughter is graduating this week and I will not be able to handle that well,” Obama joked at a Democratic National Committee event this week.
Obama wasn’t scheduled to speak at the event.
“Malia’s school asked if I wanted to speak at commencement and I said no,” Obama said in January. “I’m going to be wearing dark glasses … and I’m going to cry.”
Malia’s younger sister Sasha, who turned 15 yesterday, also attends Sidwell.

After the graduation ceremony, the Obama family celebrated over lunch at Cafe Milano in Georgetown.
Malia is taking a year off before enrolling at Harvard in autumn 2017.
The Obamas have not disclosed plans for her “gap year”, but delaying college could keep her close to her tight-knit family as it prepares for the end of Mr Obama’s presidency in January.
The family plan to stay in Washington for several years after he leaves office so Sasha can finish school at Sidwell.