This morning President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will formally welcome British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha to the United States.

After an official arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House this morning, the president and prime minister will get down to business, attending a series of meetings at the White House.

The official visit is intended to spotlight the "close" relationship between the two nations. "What makes our relationship special - a unique and essential asset - is that we join hands across so many endeavors. Put simply, we count on each other and the world counts on our alliance," the president and prime minister wrote in a joint op-ed in the Washington Post Tuesday.

The visit began informally Tuesday night, when Obama treated Cameron to an NCAA "March Madness" basketball game in Ohio.

This afternoon, Obama and Cameron will face the press together in a joint news conference in the Rose Garden.

Tonight the president and first lady will host a State Dinner at the White House in Cameron's honor. Both leaders will offer toasts before the dinner and dancing begins on the South Lawn.