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    1. Celebrity

    Why Michelle Obama Is "So Glad" She Didn't Have a Son With Husband Barack Obama

    "I would have felt for him."

    Amy Mackelden's avatar
    By Amy Mackelden
    Published 22 June 2025 In News

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    Barack Obama and Michelle Obama hold hands while moving in different directions onstage
    (Image credit: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
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    Since leaving the White House, Michelle Obama has been pretty candid about her life and open about her marriage to Barack Obama. Following the former president's revelation that he'd been "trying to dig" himself out of a "deep deficit" in his marriage, Michelle has shared the reason why she's "so glad" she doesn't have any sons with her husband.

    During the June 18 episode of her podcast, "IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson," the former First Lady shared why she was grateful to have two daughters with Barack. "I'm so glad I didn't have a boy," Michelle explained (via Us Weekly). "He would have been a Barack Obama [the Third]. Oh, no. I would have felt for him."

    Robinson, who is Michelle's brother and co-host, responded by telling her she could "just borrow [his] boys," her nephews, whenever she wanted to.

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    Former US President Barack Obama arrives to speak next to former US First Lady Michelle Obama during the Democratic National Convention (DNC).

    "I'm so glad I didn't have a boy," Michelle Obama explained.

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Michelle and Barack have raised two daughters—Malia Ann Obama, who was born in 1998, and Natasha [known as Sasha] Obama, who was born in 2001.

    Back in March, Michelle appeared on Kylie Kelce's "Not Gonna Lie" podcast, and revealed why she decided to "stop" at two children. "You're doing it a fourth time," Michelle told Kelce (via Us Weekly). "I just had to stop." She continued, "I was like, 'I think I've been lucky with these two.'"

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    Initially, Michelle's husband didn't agree with her decision to stop at two children. "Barack was like, 'We should have a third,' and I was like, 'Dude,'" Michelle shared.

    michelle obama speaks at the 2024 democratic national convention in a futuristic black Monse suit

    Michelle Obama has been candid about her marriage to Barack.

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

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    The Becoming author also appreciated her two daughters, who were both "good sleepers." "I'm thinking, 'We're gonna get a crazy one,'" she told Kelce. "It's just the roll of the dice."

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    Weekend Editor

    Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.

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