A forthcoming biography reveals that Queen Elizabeth II found former President Donald Trump to be "very rude" during their interactions, a sentiment that adds a new layer of complexity to their documented encounters. The book, A Voyage Around the Queen by Craig Brown, is set for release in the U.K. on August 29 and in the US on October 1.
Excerpts from the book, serialised by the Daily Mail, offer insight into the Queen's views on Trump’s behavior during his visits.
According to the book, Queen Elizabeth was quite displeased with Trump’s demeanor during their meetings. Brown writes that the Queen was particularly put off by Trump's tendency to look over her shoulder, seemingly in search of more interesting company.
"A few weeks after President Trump's visit, for instance, she confided in one lunch guest that she found him 'very rude': she particularly disliked the way he couldn't stop looking over her shoulder, as though in search of others more interesting," Brown wrote.
She is also quoted as speculating about Trump's personal life, wondering why First Lady Melania Trump remained married to him, suggesting that there might be some "arrangement" between them.
The Queen met Trump twice during his presidency: first for a working visit in July 2018 and then for a state visit in June 2019. The two also interacted at a NATO reception in December 2019. These meetings were not without controversy. During the 2018 visit to Windsor Castle, Trump was criticized for walking in front of the Queen while inspecting the Guard of Honor, a breach of royal protocol. A year later, he drew further criticism at a state banquet for placing his hand on the Queen’s back, another misstep in traditional etiquette.
Protests accompanied both of Trump’s trips to the U.K., with large demonstrations against him taking place in London. The first visit saw tens of thousands of protesters and a balloon depicting Trump as a baby, while similar demonstrations occurred during the state visit in 2019.
Despite these incidents, Trump reportedly believed that his visits were successful. In an interview with Fox News, he expressed confidence that he was the Queen's favorite guest, asserting that she had a better time with him than with any other visitor. Former White House advisor Fiona Hill noted in her book, There Is Nothing For You Here: Finding Opportunity in the 21st Century, that Trump viewed his meetings with the Queen as significant, particularly due to his mother's Scottish heritage and admiration for Her Majesty.
Following the Queen's death in 2022, Trump paid tribute to her on his social media platform, Truth Social, recalling their time together fondly and praising her as a "grand and beautiful lady."
