Freezing diva Beyonce Knowles

Jan 21, 2009, 9:45 GMT

01/07/2009 - Beyonce - Police refused to bow to her demands, but the US Secret Service eventually decided to allow her driver to come and pick her up.© Sylvain Gaboury / PR Photos

Beyonce Knowles reportedly refused to walk to her car in the cold after rehearsing for US President Barack Obama's pre-inauguration concert.

The 'If I Were A Boy' singer was furious when she was told she would have to make her own way to her car four blocks away as the surrounding streets had been shut amid heightened security before the event.

Police refused to bow to her demands, but the US Secret Service eventually decided to allow her driver to come and pick her up.

A host of celebrities converged on Washington's Capitol Hill yesterday (20.01.09) to watch the historic day which saw the first African-American President sworn in.

Beyonce was joined by her husband Jay-Z, while P. Diddy was also spotted in the near two-million strong crowd.

P. Diddy was so affected by the ceremony he stood blowing kisses to Obama and said: "Me and my man Barack. Love you baby. It's a new day."

'Fall Out Boy' rocker Pete Wentz left his wife Ashlee Simpson and two-month-old son Mowgli at home to attend.

He said: "When you're at an event this large and when you're in a city like this and you see the people who have done so much, you realise you were kind of throwing pennies. But to be honest, this campaign was proof that everyone contributed in small ways everything really did count. Who would have ever guessed this a year ago?"

David Arquette and his wife Courteney Cox also made the trip to Washington.

David explained: "These moments don't happen a lot in a person's lifetime, so to be a part of it is a great honour. I've already been inspired by Obama and his integrity and his wife's integrity. They're just true role models, and it's exciting to have somebody in office that really has their head on their shoulders and in the right place."

Usher called the inauguration "incredible" and joked it was so cold standing watching it his "tears turned to ice".

Other famous faces in attendance included Oprah Winfrey, Dustin Hoffman, Samuel L. Jackson, Denzel Washington and Jamie Lee Curtis and her husband Christopher Guest.