OBAMA DRAMA!

Rumours are swirling that their marriage is on the rocks

- PECULIA MUSHWANA

WHEN you're two of the most famous people in the world there's always going to be gossip and rumour about you.

An innocent glance or an animated conversation with someone could be taken as flirting, even signs you're in the throes of a red-hot hook-up.

If you aren't seen in public together for a while you're headed for Splitsville and if one of you decides to skip an event or go away on their own, it's practically divorce-papers time.

Welcome to what's going on right now in the world of Barack and Michelle Obama, the former first couple of the United States who are slap-bang in the middle of much marriage speculation.

Their only joint public appearance since August was when they went out to dinner in December and things were decidedly frosty, if body-language expert Judi James can be believed.

“There was no active sign of togetherness,” she says. “He seemed aloof and walked behind Michelle instead of alongside her as they typically do.”

Well, hold the phone. Next step – separate homes!

Still, there are other things. Take the funeral of former US president Jimmy Carter, for instance. Michelle didn't file into the cathedral with her husband as Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush and Melania Trump did with theirs. And it's anyone's guess what she thought of footage of Barack and Donald Trump seemingly getting on like a house on fire, laughing and chatting in the church.

So where was Michelle? The official answer is she had a “scheduling conflict” which turned out to be an extended holiday in Hawaii.

Michelle loves it there. “Barack got a lot cuter when I heard he was from Hawaii,” she once said.

But there was more to it than tanning her toes and walking on the beach: Michelle reportedly decided to skip the funeral when she found out she'd be seated next to Trump.