Matt Cardy / Getty Images

President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron, U.S. President Barack Obama, French President Francois Hollande, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta and European Council President Herman Van Rumpuy arrive for a group photograph on June 18, 2013 in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland.

Jewel Samad / AFP - Getty Images

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron, host of the G-8 summit, with President Barack Obama.

Ben Stansall / AFP - Getty Images

The G-8 leaders were joined by two representatives of the European Union, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso (left) and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy (right).

World leaders gathered beneath a cloudy sky to pose for a traditional 'family photograph' at the G-8 summit in Lough Erne, Northern Ireland, on Tuesday. 

A discussion over the conflict in Syria was set to dominate the last day of the meeting held in a secluded, heavily guarded golf resort, Reuters reported.

Related:

• Obama, Putin to sign new deal on reducing nuclear threat
• Chilly body language on display at G-8
• Coloring in the lines: Cameron, Obama paint with school children prior to summit

Jewel Samad / AFP - Getty Images

Wpa Pool / Getty Images

Students work on a school project about the G-8 summit during a visit by British Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack Obama at the Enniskillen Integrated Primary School on June 17.

British Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack Obama paint with schoolchildren as they visit Enniskillen Integrated Primary School in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, on Monday ahead of the official start of the G8 summit at the nearby Lough Erne resort.

Previously on PhotoBlog:  Obama's goofy inner child emerges during preschool visit 

Jeremy Selwyn / AFP - Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth II takes a seat at the table between British Prime Minister David Cameron and Foreign Secretary William Hague at a cabinet meeting in London on December 18, 2012 to mark her 60 years on the throne.

Jeremy Selwyn / AFP - Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth II listens next to Prime Minister David Cameron during the cabinet meeting inside No 10 Downing Street.

By Rachel Elbaum, NBC News — Queen Elizabeth II sat in on a U.K. Cabinet meeting for the first time in her reign Tuesday, after an invitation from ministers wanting to present her with a gift celebrating her 60 years on the throne, a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said.

Jeremy Selwyn / AFP - Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth II received a gift of place mats from the cabinet to celebrate her 60 years on the throne.

The queen met with members of the Cabinet in a side room and then took a seat between Prime Minister David Cameron and Foreign Secretary William Hague to observe the weekly meeting.

"We think the last time the monarch attended the cabinet was in 1781 during the American War of Independence," Cameron said at the start of the meeting, according to video footage. Read the full story.

Slideshow: Britain honors Queen Elizabeth II with Diamond Jubilee

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Jeremy Selwyn / AFP - Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth II sits flanked by Prime Minister David Cameron (L) and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg (R) as members of the cabinet pose for a family picture at No 10 Downing Street.

Jeremy Selwyn / AFP - Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth II sat in the prime minister's usual chair at the table. The 86-year-old sovereign sat in as an observer on the meeting.

Facundo Arrizabalaga / EPA

British Prime Minister David Cameron enters the High Court to give evidence at the Leveson Inquiry, in London on June 14, 2012.

ITV News and msnbc.com news services report — British Prime Minister David Cameron, under fire for courting an exclusive media clique led by Rupert Murdoch, appeared before a judicial inquiry on Thursday to try and neuter claims his ministers tailored policy to further Murdoch's interests.

Cameron's once-cozy ties with Murdoch's inner circle mean he is under pressure to pull off a virtuoso performance at the inquiry, which has sharpened the perception that Britain has been run for years by an elite that fawned on the News Corp chairman. Read the full story.

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Adrian Dennis / AFP - Getty Images

Journalists stand behind the railings awaiting the arrival of David Cameron at the High Court in London on June 14, 2012.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

President Barack Obama meets with British Prime Minister David Cameron in the Oval Office of the White House, March 14, 2012.

Doug Mills / Pool via Reuters

President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron talk during their Oval Office meeting at the White House, March, 14, 2012.

As a photographer, covering the White House often means crowding with a pool of journalists into a room for a very brief time - sometimes just a few minutes, and trying to capture the mood of a meeting between two world leaders before the real meeting actually begins. New York Times photographer Doug Mills, who was part of the White House pool today, captures the view from the other side. Can you imagine trying to act normal in front of all the cameras and microphones? I think both sides have an equal challenge.

Mills' colleague, Stephen Crowley, videotaped his experience during one of these pool spray events at the Oval office. You can see it on the New York Times' website.

See more images from Obama's fourth year in office in our slideshow below.

Slideshow: As it happens: Obama's fourth year in office

Cliff Owen / AP

The president's fourth year at the White House in pictures — follow along as it happens.

Launch slideshow

Jim Watson / AFP - Getty Images

President Barack Obama shares a laugh with British Prime Minister David Cameron as they take in March Madness at the University of Dayton Arena on March 13.

Jim Watson / AFP - Getty Images

President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron eat hot dogs as they sit in the stands at University of Dayton Arena in Dayton.

Basketball fan-in-chief President Barack Obama is giving British Prime Minister David Cameron a front-row seat to March Madness, taking his European partner to an election swing state for an NCAA tournament basketball game.

Amid cheers, the two leaders entered the University of Dayton Arena on Tuesday for a "First Four" matchup between Mississippi Valley State and Western Kentucky, a gesture of goodwill during Cameron's official visit to the United States and a way for an incumbent president to reach sports fans in an election year.

-- The Associated Press

Related links:

• President Obama, British PM on hand for the First Four
• Obama’s Final Four: Kentucky, Ohio St., Mizzou, UNC

Follow @msnbc_pictures

•Sign up for the msnbc.com Photos Newsletter

Slideshow: As it happens: Obama's fourth year in office

Cliff Owen / AP

The president's fourth year at the White House in pictures — follow along as it happens.

Launch slideshow

Philippe Wojazer / Reuters

France's President Nicolas Sarkozy is surrounded by bodyguards as he walks to a news conference at the European Union summit in Brussels, Belgium, on the morning of Dec. 9, 2011.

Sebastien Pirlet / EPA

Journalists wait for news from the meeting of European heads of state in Brussels early in the morning on Friday.

John Thys / AFP - Getty Images

German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives for the resumption of talks on Friday morning.

It was a long night for everybody at the European Union summit in Brussels. As we report today, the 27 EU presidents and prime ministers began their talks at 7:30 Thursday evening and continued past 4:30 a.m.

The leaders then emerged to face the cameras, each aiming to spin the outcome in a way that would best please his or her domestic audience. After that, perhaps, a chance to sleep. But not for long -- the talks were due to resume at 9.30 a.m on Friday.

The politicians were not the only ones to pull an all-nighter. As The Economist's Charlemagne columnist writes, "We journalists are probably too bleary-eyed after a sleepless night to understand the full significance of what has just happened." 

The writer is too modest: the Charlemagne article is a good place to start if you would like to know more about the long-term implications of the summit.

Related content: Enjoy looking at pictures of politicians making nice? Indulge yourself with more photos of diplomacy at work on PhotoBlog.

Yves Herman / Reuters

British Prime Minister David Cameron looks at German Chancellor Angela Merkel after summit talks resumed on Friday.

Kevin Lamarque / Reuters

U.S. President Barack Obama is escorted to address both Houses of Parliament in London on Wednesday, May 25. Flanking Obama are Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow, left, and Speaker of the House of Lords Baroness Helene Hayman. Obama is on a four-nation European visit to Ireland, England, France and Poland.

Jeff J. Mitchell / Pool via EPA

President Barack Obama addresses the members of Parliament in Westminster Hall in London on Wednesday, May 25.

Larry Downing / Reuters

President Barack Obama, right, and British Prime Minister David Cameron serve sausages and hamburgers to US and British military service members, veterans and family members in a courtyard at 10 Downing Street in London on Wednesday.

Lawrence Jackson / The White House via Getty Images

First Lady Michelle Obama and Samantha Cameron, wife of British Prime Minister David Cameron, talk before having tea in the private residence at Downing Street on Tuesday.

Matt Cardy / Getty Images

President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron leave Downing Street on Wednesday in London.

 msnbc.com news services reports

In an address to British Parliament on Wednesday, President Barack Obama sought to counter critics who assert that U.S. and British influence in world affairs is waning as rising powers like China and India assert themselves.

To the lawmakers seated at majestic Westminster Hall, Obama declared: "The time for our leadership is now." Continue reading.

•  More photos from Obama's state visit in London here.