A new biography about the late Queen Elizabeth II offers a contrasting perspective to former President Donald Trump’s claims of having a warm relationship with the late monarch. The biography, published in August 2024, suggests that the queen found Trump’s behavior “very rude” during his state visits to the United Kingdom in 2018 and 2019.
The book, titled “A Voyage Around the Queen,” is authored by British journalist Craig Brown. Brown claims that Queen Elizabeth shared with a lunch guest a few weeks after Trump’s first UK visit that she found his conduct disconcerting. The book suggests that the queen was particularly irked by Trump’s habit of glancing over her shoulder during conversations, as if looking for someone more interesting.
During his 2018 visit to Windsor Castle, Trump stirred controversy by keeping the queen waiting and walking in front of her, a move seen as a violation of royal protocol. According to Brown, these actions didn’t sit well with the queen, who had a high regard for tradition and etiquette. Buckingham Palace, however, has not publicly responded to the allegations made in the biography, in keeping with the royal family’s usual policy of not commenting on such matters.
Brown’s biography also conveys that the queen expressed curiosity about Trump’s relationship with his wife, Melania Trump. She reportedly told a guest that she couldn’t understand why Melania would stay married to Trump, suggesting that there must be some agreement between them. This provides a rare insight into the queen’s private thoughts, which she usually kept under wraps.
Trump, however, has flatly denied the claims made in Brown’s book. After his 2019 state visit, he fondly remembered the queen and him laughing and enjoying their time together, even noting that her staff mentioned she hadn’t had that much fun in a quarter-century.
Trump described their interactions as noteworthy, stating that there was an immediate connection between them. Furthermore, he insisted that his relationship with the queen was robust and that she seemed more animated with him than with other world leaders.
Despite Trump’s positive recollections, Brown’s biography paints a picture of Queen Elizabeth as a polite host who privately expressed her disapproval of certain foreign leaders she encountered throughout her reign, including Trump.
Adding to the complexity, a former Buckingham Palace official told the New York Post that the queen found Trump and his family to be “gracious” guests. The source disputed Brown’s allegations, adding that the queen prioritized her guests’ comfort over strict protocol adherence.
Following the queen’s death in 2022, Trump paid tribute to her, describing her as a remarkable woman and recalling the times he and Melania spent with her. Trump expressed that he and Melania would forever cherish their moments with Queen Elizabeth and remember her for her warm friendship, wisdom, and unique sense of humor.
Although it may never be fully clear what Queen Elizabeth privately thought about Trump, Brown’s biography provides a seldom-seen look into the thoughts of the famously discreet monarch. The differing accounts further highlight the enigmatic nature of Queen Elizabeth, who was known for her neutrality throughout her lengthy reign.
