Queen Elizabeth apparently has fondness for Americans ever since she met former President Barack Obama, and his wife Michelle, in person in 2009. The Queen apparently fell in love with the Obamas that she asked them to visit the U.K. again once they are no longer in the White House.
This was the revelation of former royal aide Tom Quinn, who wrote the book Kensington Palace: An Intimate Memoir from Queen Mary to Meghan Markle. Quinn detailed that Her Majesty often asked her royal aides to make arrangements for the Obamas to visit Britain, even after they left the White House. The Obamas, however, have yet to take up on that invitation.
After 2009, Queen Elizabeth would once again host the Obamas in 2011 and 2016. On their last visit, the former President and First Lady of the United States also met the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate, for the very first time. The Obamas even stayed at Kensington Palace where they were entertained by Prince George, who was still a toddler.
Over the years, Queen Elizabeth struck a friendship with Michelle that drew much reaction after she was photographed putting an arm around the Queen. Michelle was criticized for not following protocol since no one is permitted to touch the Queen unless she extends her hand.
However, the Queen's loyal friend and dressmaker Angela Kelly belied reports that the Queen was mad about Michelle touching her. Kelly said that the two shared "instant and mutual warmth" in their last face-to-face meeting. The Queen apparently looks up to Michelle as a "great woman."
Meanwhile, the Queen, reportedly, tried to dodge one of her guests because she didn't like to speak to him. According to the ITV documentary, Inside the Crown: Secrets of the Royals, Queen Elizabeth once had the dictator from Romania, Nicolae Ceaușescu, as their visitor in the 1970s and he was set to have sit-down dinner in Buckingham Palace.
Reports stated that Queen Elizabeth tried to hide behind a bush when she spotted Ceaușescu and his wife coming her way. The couple had been staying at the Queen's official residence when they were also outside the grounds at the same time Her Majesty was walking her dogs.
According to her foreign secretary at that time, Queen Elizabeth could tolerate a lot of the guests she didn't like. But Ceaușescu was "too much" for her own good that she actually didn't enjoy his visit.
