The White House and Queen Elizabeth II shared a long history of friendship and diplomacy. The longest-reigning British monarch, who ruled England for over six decades, died on 8 September 2022 at 96. The Queen cultivated a 70-year friendship with the White House since 1951, visiting the United States several times as both princess and queen.
Her Majesty had the opportunity to host Donald Trump and his wife, Melania Trump in 2019. The late Queen travelled to several countries and met the leaders of numerous nations during her time, but this meeting with the Trumps was special. The couple was greeted with a warm welcome by the late Queen Elizabeth II during their state visit to Britain.
This important occasion marked the continuation of their interactions following their informal meeting with The Queen in 2018. Mr. Trump is one of only three US presidents to have made a state visit to Britain during Elizabeth II’s reign, the others being Barack Obama and George W. Bush. Additionally, Queen Elizabeth expressed her delight at seeing the First Lady again and the duo indulged in a meaningful chat.
Besides, the Queen, King Charles and Queen Camilla, the then Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall joined the welcoming party. Camilla greeted the Trumps, reportedly saying, “Nice to meet you,” as per lip reader Tina Lannin. The UK Prime Minister was also there during the Trumps and their three-day visit.
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As per the Irish Star, Melania Trump and Queen Elizabeth II formed a cherished bond during their meeting. Moreover, Fiona Hill, Mr. Trump’s ex-adviser on Russia, revealed in her memoir that he noticed meeting the late Queen as the peak of success, the “ultimate sign” of having “made it in life.” Besides their shared mutual bond and respect, upon the Queen’s passing on September 8, 2022, Trump expressed his condolences on Truth Social, stating, “Melania and I are deeply saddened to learn of the loss of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”
Furthermore, Trump and Melania’s visit was a very formal meeting with the late Majesty and not just them meeting her over a cup of tea. The event was followed by cocktails and dinner, musical performances of anthems, and speeches by both Trump and the Queen. Several VIPs and diplomats were also present.
Former President Trump on the death of Queen Elizabeth II: pic.twitter.com/gMwKs5kUdq
— Meridith McGraw (@meridithmcgraw) September 8, 2022
CNN reported in an old article that Melania Trump was quite keen to follow the pre-decided state protocols as a first lady while meeting the Queen and took time to prepare for it. Certain gestures, such as formal greetings, gift exchanges, and adhering to dress codes during official events, were part of what was followed religiously by Melania Trump. “This trip, like most foreign travel, is very complex.”
Trump’s deputy chief of staff Stephanie Grisham spoke about this and said, “Mrs. Trump spends a significant amount of time preparing for every trip. This includes protocol briefings, event memos, logistics, speech preparation when applicable, and research and selection for the gift exchange.”
