This article was originally published on WHerMoments
If pop culture has taught us anything, it’s that being young and famous is a dangerous combination. Thankfully, one of America's favorite young celebrities is also one of its most protected: Malia Obama. Still, no matter how safeguarded Malia is by Secret Service, she’s bound to push the boundaries a little. And nothing pushes things quite as much as a secret love affair. So when Malia was spotted with a mysterious man, the world was dying to know the details.
Growing Up In The Spotlight
While Barack and Michelle are Malia's birth parents, it doesn't deter the millions of people who watched her grow up from still feeling protective.
After witnessing 8 formative years, you can’t blame us for being a little watchful of our former first daughter.
Under The Radar
And despite a few hiccups along the way, Malia managed to live a scandal-free life as the President’s daughter.
But once she became a private citizen, she had much more freedom than she used to have...and decided to run with it.
Who Is He?
The world collectively gasped when Malia was captured in a passionate kiss with a mystery man at the 2017 Harvard-Yale football game. The speculation was immediate: Who was this guy?
Where did he come from? Are they actually an “item,” or what?
Real-Life Princesses
The Obama daughters are the closest we get to princesses, so when a potential prince arrives, we can't help but be curious!
Finally, Malia’s mystery man has been identified...and in a few ways, he’s the last person we expected.
Meet Rory
His name is Rory Farquharson, and in an ironic turn of events for the President’s daughter, he hails from the United Kingdom.
The 21-year-olds both attend Harvard University, but Rory actually got his start at a school miles and miles away.
Mr. Head Of School
He attended the Rugby School, a private school in England.
While there, Rory wasn’t the slacker-type; on the contrary, he was Head of School from 2015-2016, proving his academic and leadership prowess. But his skills weren't just academic!
Successful Rugger
He played rugby and golf and was co-founder of the Blue Bunsen Society, the school’s chemistry club.
Clearly, Rory was on his a-game at Rugby, though his life wasn’t always filled with good grades and successful rugby matches…
School Reputation
Old classmates have referred to Rory as “quite a catch” and “very popular,” which makes the fact that Rory felt anything but these things at Rugby School hard to believe.
But that’s exactly what he revealed in an odd letter.
Harsh Words
In a letter to his 16-year-old self, which was printed in a publication for Rugby School, he wrote, “You’re a lanky, over-confident public school boy, desperately trying to prove to your friends how much of a ‘lad’ you are and have failed miserably.”
Trying Too Hard
His desperation to fit in took a toll on his physical and mental health. “You look a wreck, your body aches every time you move, and it takes you a good half hour to get out of bed in the morning,” he wrote.
The Floppy Mop
He typed what would end up being a prophetic line about his own appearance: “For goodness’ sake, get a haircut. Despite what you think, your floppy mop isn’t attracting the girls."
He couldn’t have known then just how much his luck would change!
A Big Leap
Rory went from being a self-deprecating “school boy” to the mystery man spotted kissing the United States’ first daughter.
So how does someone make such a huge leap from virtual obscurity to Page Six news?
Meeting The Old Fashioned Way
The duo apparently met the way so many other couples meet — when walking through Harvard's hallowed halls.
Since the kiss-seen-’round-the-world spread online, speculation about the young couple only increased, especially the question: Are they still together?
Going Steady
Apparently, they’re still going strong! They were recently spotted in Los Angeles, cuddling and enjoying each other’s company on a night out with friends.
But what started as a cute photo of the couple soon erupted into another controversy.
Smoking Scandal
Malia was spotted puffing on a cigarette while she hung out with Rory and some friends.
The cigarette “scandal” didn’t last long, and the focus again shifted to the young couple...and what her famous parents had to say about them.
Two Powerful Families
Rory’s father, though never the leader of the free world, certainly holds an honorable position back in the U.K.: Charles Farquharson is the CEO of Insight Investment Management Limited, while Rory's mother Catherine is an accountant.
Powerful parents isn't the only similarity he shares with Malia.
Coming From Money
He, too, enjoyed a privileged childhood. He grew up in Woodbridge, Suffolk, in a home worth two million dollars.
Again like Malia, he also has ties to some pretty powerful people, since his relative Andrew Farquharson was an aide to the Queen for ten years.
Off To England?
It’s unknown how Rory's parents feel about their son’s relationship, but his neighbors seem to be extremely proud.
“Good on him,” one of his neighbors said, with another neighbor excitedly saying, “It’d be lovely if the Obamas came to visit.”
Laid Back Dad
Meanwhile, Barack Obama has responded to the news about his eldest daughter. Since Michelle is “such a great example of...not depending on boys," he's pretty relaxed about it.
Still, Michelle had a different reaction to the news.
Words Of Warning
The Obamas understand the pressures of being in a publicized relationship, so when Malia went off to college, Michelle gave her some simple advice: “Don’t end up on Page Six.”
If all else fails, at least they know they can rely on one thing...
Guarded At All Times
“They have Secret Service,” President Obama said when asked about his daughters’ dating lives.
So they can rest assured that nothing too scandalous can happen with an armed detail around...especially now that their daughters are all grown up!
Painful Goodbye
After all, the Obamas remembered just how painful it was to say goodbye to their first born at college.
Both Barack and Michelle were by Malia’s side to help her settle into college life, and the former first lady opened up about the emotional college send-off in her podcast.
Staying Busy
To keep her feelings of loss at bay, Michelle revealed that she had tried to keep busy. She explained, “Barack and I have two different ways of dealing with that anxiety.
I just had a list of things to do. I was unpacking the room, we’re making the bed, we’re cleaning, we’re getting the dorm room ready. We had things. You know, I was occupied.”
"All Out Of It"
Her husband, on the other hand, was at a loss. Michelle confessed, “Barack was all out of it because he really didn’t have a job.
So we had to give him a make-job. Like, ‘Hey, why don’t you try to put this lamp together.’ The lamp was already put together, you know, it just really needed to be screwed.”
Unleash The Waterworks
But when the presidential couple had driven away? The waterworks finally began.
Michelle confessed, “I heard Barack over on the side, just [sniffing]. You know that sort of [thing]. And Allen, his agent, passed a handkerchief back to him. He was like, ‘Thanks, man.’ We both shed some tears.”
She's Gone
Unquestionably the moment was a poignant one for the parents, as it told them their oldest child was all grown up. Michelle said, “There was just something about the actual leaving [Malia], even though she had been to sleepaway camp and she had traveled.
There’s just something about that... Like, she’s gone.”
Landing Her First Job
Fast-forward three and a bit years, though, and Malia is on the verge of being a Harvard grad. Not only that, but in February 2021 it was reported that she had landed a job in what has to be one of the hottest writers’ rooms of the moment.
Yes, the Obamas’ eldest looks to be going into TV!
Famous Friends
Malia’s no stranger to the great and the good of Hollywood, so it’s actually not that surprising a move. Both her mom and dad are well known for having a famous circle of friends.
The prominent people the family have rubbed shoulders with over the years include such A-list stars as Beyoncé, Oprah, and George Clooney.
Early Internships
We don’t know if Malia’s early exposure to celebrities influenced her career choices as she grew. Back when she was a teenager, though, she made moves into TV and film.
In 2014, for instance, she interned on the CBS sci-fi series Extant, which starred Halle Berry as the lead.
She Was A Huge Fan
Eventually, Berry spilled the beans about Malia’s time on set. The actress said, “She was fantastic, she was amazing.
I was such a huge fan of her. She is such a smart, beautiful, young woman.” The star added of Malia, “She was down to do whatever a PA is asked to do, and I had wild respect for her for that.”
Good Impressions
That experience apparently didn’t put Malia off, either, as she later went on to help out with the production of HBO comedy series Girls.
And according to the star of the show, Lena Dunham, the teenager was eager to make a good impression on set.
"Totally Enthusiastic"
In a 2017 interview with Howard Stern, Dunham said of Malia, “She loved the show, and I mean, obviously, we weren’t, like, making her go get our coffee. You’re not going to send [the president’s daughter to get coffee].
But she wanted to do all the jobs. That was the cool thing. She was totally enthusiastic.”
Sticking With Harvard
Following her stint on Girls, Malia moved onto another internship with the since-disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein. It was also rumored that she was looking into studying at New York University, which is home to one of the country’s most prestigious filmmaking courses.
Ultimately, of course, she went another way by attending college at Harvard.
Top Job
And even before she’d graduated, Malia managed to bag herself a top job in the television industry.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, she’s been recruited by producer, actor, and musician Donald Glover to work on his impending Amazon series.
Big News!
The news came to light after Glover cut ties with FX – the network that had been the home of his successful series Atlanta.
Then, after ending his contract, the star reportedly signed with Amazon in a deal said to be worth eight figures.
Making A Deal
In an article about the news, The Hollywood Reporter claimed that Glover was expected to establish his own channel on Prime Video. This space would host the actor’s own work as well as other carefully selected content.
Brother Stephen Glover, who had worked as a writer and producer on Atlanta, would be a part of the deal, too.
Malia's New Job
Where does Malia come into all this? Well, if rumor has it, she may be involved in a mooted series going by the name of Hive.
The show is the brainchild of Janine Nabers, the writer and producer behind Watchmen and Away, and it’s said to revolve around a pop music diva in the mold of Beyoncé.
In The Writers' Room
And apparently, Malia has secured a spot in the writers’ room on the fledgling series. But given that the show is said to be in its early stages, other details about the former first daughter’s involvement in the production are scarce.
Amazon has also declined to comment on either its deal with Glover or the development of Hive.
Rival Networks
Still, if these reports are true, Malia may be able to swap TV-making tips with her parents. Famously, Michelle and Barack signed a deal with Netflix in 2018, and they’ve since let us know what they’ll be producing.
In the pipeline is a number of documentaries as well as a feature film about the prominent abolitionist Frederick Douglass.
"Educate, Connect, Inspire"
In a statement about the couple’s Netflix collaboration, the former president promised a wide range of programming. He said, “Touching on issues of race and class, democracy and civil rights and much more...
each of these productions won’t just entertain but will educate, connect and inspire us all.”
Always A Family
But even though Malia and her parents have potentially found themselves working for rival streaming services, they’ll no doubt remain supportive of one another. On her podcast, Michelle said of her daughters, “Both Malia and Sasha have turned out to be wonderful young ladies."
We couldn't have said it better ourselves!