Queen Elizabeth II was reportedly less than impressed with Donald Trump during her state visit to the UK in 2018. While Trump was still serving as President of the United States, his behavior reportedly left a lasting negative impression on the British monarch.
In his new book, A trip around the QueenRoyal author Craig Brown looks at the Queen’s interactions with a number of controversial foreign leaders throughout her reign. The list includes figures such as Bashar al-Assad, Robert Mugabe, Idi Amin, Emperor Hirohito, Vladimir Putin and, of course, Donald Trump, as reported by The Associated Press. Online mail.
Brown suggests that while the Queen may not have found his company particularly pleasant, she generally maintained a polite demeanor during her visits. Trump’s visit, however, appears to have been an exception. “A few weeks after President Trump’s visit, for example, she confided to a lunch guest that she found him ‘very rude.’” Brown reveals in his book.
The queen’s irritation with Trump extended beyond his behaviour; she was apparently baffled by his relationship with his wife, Melania. Brown notes: “She also believed that President Trump ‘must have some sort of arrangement’ with his wife Melania, or else why would she have remained married to him?”
Despite the Queen’s apparent displeasure, Trump seemed convinced that he had made a positive impression. According to Brown, Trump was certain that he had been one of the Queen’s favourite guests, a belief that contrasts sharply with the Queen’s private feelings.
This account brings a new level of insight into the oft-analysed and publicised relationship between the British monarchy and visiting political figures, particularly in the context of Trump’s highly-reviewed and controversial visit.