White House releases stunning official portrait of First Lady Melania

The official portrait of first lady Melania Trump was unveiled by the White House on Monday.

The image, released in black and white, was taken in the residence by renowned fashion photographer Régine Mahaux.

In it, Melania is seen wearing a dark pant suit leaning forward on an executive desk in the Yellow Oval Room located on the south side second floor of the building and silhouetted by the Washington Monument.

According to Wikipedia, the room was first conceived as a ladies’ sitting area after Dolley Madison decorated it in yellow in 1809.

Franklin D Roosevelt converted the room into his study, and it was in this room on December 7, 1941, that he learned of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The Secret Service moved his desk away from the windows as a security precaution.

Harry Truman continued to use the room as a study and opened access to a new balcony he added, called the Truman Balcony to the South Portico in 1948. Later presidents reserved the room as a parlor for formal receptions.

The photo appears to be the first monochrome image of a US First Lady since Eleanor Roosevelt. Régine Mahaux is a Belgian-born fashion photographer who has taken official portraits of the Trump family during his first term from 2016-2020.