The original photograph, taken in October 1963, a month before President Kennedy was assassinated, shows John Jr peering out from under the desk as his father, like Mr Obama, reviews briefing papers. It was a photograph that helped to promote the image of Kennedy’s Camelot — the youthful President running the country with a young family playing at his side in the White House.

The Obamas have sought to portray the same image and the current President has often said that the greatest joy of living at the White House is being able to work and live inside the same building as his children, Sasha, and Malia, 11.