Royal Audience

A comprehensive and entertaining exploration of the complicated relationship between Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, and the thirteen United States presidents throughout her lifetime, from Truman to Biden and everyone in between. From the moment she first enchanted the world as a youthful princess, Queen Elizabeth II found a unique place in American hearts. Over her seventy-year reign, she developed extraordinary and complicated personal bonds with thirteen U.S. presidents—Truman, Eisenhower, Johnson, Kennedy, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, both Bush Sr. and Jr., Clinton, Obama, Trump, and Biden—that very few people had the luxury to examine, until now. A fascinating, in-depth look at international relations and interpersonal intrigue, Royal Audience peels back the curtain on the grand state occasions, gaining insight from those who experienced them firsthand and charting Elizabeth II’s more idiosyncratic brand of one-to-one diplomacy. From horse-riding with Ronald Reagan to dancing with Gerald Ford, sharing her recipe for scones with Dwight D. Eisenhower and striking up a kinship with the Obamas, the Queen’s interactions with her U.S. counterparts acted as a restorative tonic for relations between two nations that were occasionally buffeted by the vicissitudes of international affairs. Not all royal encounters with U.S. presidents went smoothly, though. Between Jackie Kennedy’s complaints about Elizabeth's attire and her palace, and the Queen Mother’s shock at being kissed on the lips by Jimmy Carter, there was never a dull moment. Throughout the years, Queen Elizabeth II’s sense of duty and service remained steadfast, and her iconic legacy is unlikely to be repeated.