The former FLOTUS was inside the White House on the day that gay marriage was legalised in the US and admitted to seeing thousands of people outside celebrating. She wanted to join them as a show of solidarity after a long campaign to change the law. Michelle made the confession during a chat with TV host Ms DeGeneres.

She also explored how she managed to get out of the White House to join the huge crowds.

“One of the interesting things, I bring it up because it shows how vastly different one day can be in the White House during our administration.

“On the day that Barack and I went to the funeral where he famously sang Amazing Grace, we were at that funeral, but we flew back.

“In that same day, marriage equality was passed.

“That same day.

“And we’re in the White house and when you’re in residence, there’s so much bullet-proof glass that sometimes you don’t hear what’s going on outside.

“And we were having dinner. And we were listening and we knew that there was celebration happening, but we didn’t realise that thousands of people were gathering in front of the White House at that time to celebrate.”

She explained that her staff began to call her and “everybody was celebrating and people were crying”, and she said “I want to be in that”.

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She added: “It took 15 minutes to get outside. And we stood along with all the cheering crowd.

“Off to the side, mind you, so no one would see us, with security surrounding us.

“And we tried to have our tender mother-daughter moment. But we just took it in.

“I held her tight and my feeling was, we are moving forward.”