99. Queen Elizabeth II and America’s Presidents

The White House 1600 Sessions

Given how things started almost 250 years ago between the United States and King George III, the history of diplomacy and friendship between the White House and Queen Elizabeth II is quite remarkable. Stewart McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association, talked about this history with David Charter, the assistant editor (US) of The Times and author of Royal Audience: 70 years, 13 presidents--One Queen's Special Relationship with America.

Queen Elizabeth II reigned over the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms for seven decades until her death in 2022 - the longest-serving British monarch of all time. She first visited the United States as a princess when she and her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, arrived in Washington, D.C. on October 31, 1951. She stayed at Blair House with President Harry Truman and his family, as the White House was under major renovation. Several months later she would ascend the throne after the passing of her father, King George VI.

It would be years before her first visit to the United States as Queen, when she and her husband arrived on October 17, 1957 and stayed with President Dwight Eisenhower and First Lady Mamie Eisenhower at the White House. The Queen had a fondness for Eisenhower having met him during World War II. Queen Elizabeth would go on to meet every sitting president through Joe Biden, except for Lyndon Johnson, and you’ll learn why in this episode. You’ll also find out with which president she shared her scone recipe, the president who most shared her love of horses, and the presidential family that reminded her a great deal of her own.