In the realm of public figures, few can rival the intrigue surrounding both Queen Elizabeth II and Donald Trump. A recent controversy has erupted following claims in a new book that the late Queen found the former U.S. President "very rude" during their meetings. However, former royal staffers and insiders are pushing back against these assertions, defending the Queen's memory and the nature of her interactions with Trump.
The controversy stems from author Craig Brown's book, A Voyage Around The Queen, in which he suggests that Queen Elizabeth was not impressed by Trump during his 2018 state visit to the United Kingdom. According to Brown, the Queen allegedly confided in a lunch guest, expressing her annoyance with Trump's behavior, particularly his tendency to look over her shoulder as though searching for someone more interesting. The book also speculates about the dynamics between Trump and his wife, Melania, suggesting that the Queen questioned why she remained married to him.
Despite these claims, those who knew the Queen and worked closely with her have been quick to refute the allegations. Jack Stooks, a former royal gardener, expressed his frustration with the timing and nature of the accusations. In an interview with GB News, Stooks remarked, "To suddenly start claiming that about somebody who has passed without allowing them to defend themselves is completely disrespectful. We know what the Queen was like as a person. She never put a foot wrong during her reign, so why would she suddenly make such statements?"
Another former Buckingham Palace official, speaking to The New York Post, reinforced this defense, stating that the Queen found Trump and his family to be "gracious" and "wonderful guests." The ex-staffer, who had close knowledge of the Queen's views, emphasized that the Queen's recollections of Trump's state visit were positive, directly contradicting the claims made in Brown's book. "She said they were a lovely family to have in the palace," the source confirmed.
The former aide went on to highlight the Queen's commitment to her role as a neutral, apolitical figure. "She was incredibly discreet in the private lunches she held," the source noted. "It doesn't ring true that she would make such comments. She was impossible to read on certain things by design, and she didn't want to be partisan. People often projected their own thoughts onto her."
Indeed, Trump's visits to the UK were not without incident. In 2018, he was criticized for walking in front of the Queen while inspecting the Guard of Honor at Windsor Castle, a breach of protocol. The following year, during an official state visit, Trump was photographed placing his hand on the Queen's back during a state banquet, another action that drew scrutiny.
However, the palace source downplayed the significance of these gaffes, recalling the Queen's perspective on protocol. "Her primary concern was being the best host she could be, making her guests feel comfortable. She wasn't interested in strict adherence to protocol if it made people uncomfortable," the source explained.
Trump, for his part, has always spoken highly of his time with the Queen. Following his 2018 visit, he told Fox News, "There are those that say they have never seen the Queen have a better time, a more animated time." He also expressed his admiration for the Queen's resilience, particularly in the face of challenges posed by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's departure from royal duties.
In response to the claims made in Brown's book, Trump's communications director, Steven Cheung, dismissed them as "nothing more than fake news intended to use made-up, salacious fabrications in order to sell copies of a book that belongs in the bargain bin of the fiction section."
