Michelle Obama celebrated Barack Obama’s 65th birthday with a photograph tied to the couple’s newest chapter in Chicago.
The former first lady shared a behind-the-scenes image from their PEOPLE cover shoot at the Obama Presidential Center, where the couple reflected on their marriage, family and life after the White House.
Michelle praised Barack for the support he continues to give their family and the country, telling her husband that he still makes her a better person.
The August 4th tribute arrived less than two months after the Presidential Center’s opening on Chicago’s South Side.
Michelle Said ‘65 Never Looked Better’
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“Happy birthday, @BarackObama! 65 never looked better,” Michelle wrote. “Every day, you make me a better person, and I’m thankful for all the ways you show up for our family and our country. Love you.” She also shared the tribute through Instagram Stories with Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday.”
The Photograph Came From Their PEOPLE Cover Shoot
The image was captured by photographer Matt Sayles during the couple’s June 13th session for a recent PEOPLE cover story. The shoot took place at the Obama Presidential Center shortly before its official dedication on June 18th.
The 19.3-acre campus opened to visitors the following day and includes a museum, public library branch, athletic facilities, event spaces and outdoor areas. The Center stands on Chicago’s South Side, where Barack began working as a community organizer and where the couple met, married and raised their daughters before entering the White House.
The Obamas Recently Described Each Other as a ‘Counterbalance’
During their joint PEOPLE interview, Michelle said she and Barack remain “each other’s counterbalance.” She credited her husband with encouraging her to imagine a broader life beyond the legal career she originally expected to pursue.
“He made me think more broadly about what I could do with this Harvard law degree besides be a lawyer,” she said. “He gave me the courage. He was my ballast. He was like, ‘I got you.’” Barack offered similar praise, describing Michelle as a “one-of-a-kind woman” whose character, intelligence and values made him better. “Just being with her made me better, and she still does,” he said.
Barack and Michelle met in 1989 while working at the same Chicago law firm. Michelle was assigned to mentor the future president during his summer associate position. They married on October 3rd, 1992, and share two adult daughters, Malia and Sasha. The couple will celebrate their 34th wedding anniversary on October 3rd.