Italian President Sergio Mattarella is in Kenya for a 4-day state visit to boost trade and investment opportunities between Italy and Kenya but what has caught the eye of the public is Italy’s First Lady Laura Mattarella.
Laura Mattarella is the daughter of President Sergio Mattarella and his Late wife Marisa who passed away in 2012. The role of the First Lady is usually played by the wives of the heads of state but if the President is single or widowed, the functions of the First Lady can be performed by another person to fill in that position.
President William Ruto and First lady Rachel Ruto hosted a state dinner for President Sergio Mattarella of Italy and Laura Mattarella. The dinner was attended by the delegation that accompanied the Italian president for his four-day tour of Kenya.
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Italy is not the only country to have a First Lady who is not the spouse of the president.
A good example of this unique situation is Harriet Lane who took this role for the 15th President of the United States, James Buchanan. The amazing thing is that he was just her favourite uncle and her guardian after she was orphaned and named him as her legal guardian. James Buchanan had no children. He was a bachelor who was fully committed to his work in government.
In this case, Laura Mattarella stepped in as the First Lady and has been in office since 2015. She attends many official ceremonies and functions of the state either along with or in place of the president. She is the first child and the only daughter of the President and has two brothers.
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Laura is a lawyer by profession but she put that aside to focus on her current role as the First Lady. She is married to Cosimo Comella and they have three children together.
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It is worth noting that the role of the First Lady has evolved over time, and the expectations and responsibilities associated with the position can vary widely depending on the country and culture. Some First Ladies have taken a more active role in politics, while others have focused on social and charitable causes.
In the case of Laura Mattarella, she has a background in law but has put her career on hold to focus on her role as First Lady. She has attended numerous official functions and ceremonies alongside her father or in his absence and has also been involved in various charitable causes.
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