Former President Donald Trump has long maintained that he shared a warm rapport with the late Queen Elizabeth II, often speaking fondly of their meetings during his state visits to the United Kingdom (U.K.) in 2018 and 2019. However, a new biography of the late queen, reviewed by media sources in August 2024, presents a different narrative, revealing that the monarch found Trump “very rude” during his visits.
The biography, “A Voyage Around the Queen,” written by British journalist Craig Brown, claims that just weeks after Trump’s first visit to the U.K., Queen Elizabeth confided in a lunch guest that she found Trump’s behavior troubling. According to Brown, the queen disliked Trump’s habit of looking over her shoulder during conversations as though searching for someone more interesting.
Trump’s 2018 visit to Windsor Castle sparked controversy when he kept the queen waiting and walked ahead of her, which is considered a breach of royal protocol. Brown writes that these actions did not sit well with the queen, who valued tradition and etiquette. Despite these lapses in protocol, Buckingham Palace has not publicly commented on the claims made in the biography, maintaining the royal family’s customary silence on such matters.
Brown also notes that the queen speculated about Trump’s relationship with his wife, Melania Trump. She reportedly told a guest that Trump must have some arrangement with his wife, adding that she found it puzzling why Melania would remain married to him otherwise. This personal observation offers a rare glimpse into Queen Elizabeth’s private thoughts, which she typically kept hidden from the public eye.
Trump has firmly rejected the assertions in Brown’s book. Following his 2019 state visit, Trump recalled how they had been laughing and enjoying themselves, with her staff commenting that the queen hadn’t had that much fun in 25 years.
He characterized their interactions as remarkable, stating they had an instant connection. Trump insists that he and the queen had a strong relationship, claiming she was more lively with him than with other global leaders.
Despite Trump’s positive recollection of his encounters with Queen Elizabeth, Brown’s biography suggests that her view of Trump was far less favorable. The biography portrays her as a courteous host who, while polite in public, privately shared her disapproval of certain foreign leaders she met during her reign, including Trump.
Complicating the situation, a former Buckingham Palace official told the New York Post that the queen found Trump and his family “gracious” guests. The source refuted Brown’s claims, insisting that she was more interested in making her guests feel comfortable than in strictly enforcing protocol.
After the queen passed away in 2022, Trump shared a tribute, calling her a remarkable woman and reminiscing about the moments he and Melania shared with her. Trump expressed that he and his wife would always treasure their time with Queen Elizabeth and remember her warm friendship, wisdom, and exceptional sense of humor.
While the truth of the queen’s private thoughts about Trump may never be fully known, Brown’s biography offers a rare glimpse into the mind of the reserved monarch. The conflicting accounts underscore the enigmatic nature of Queen Elizabeth, who was known for her discretion and neutrality throughout her long reign.