When Queen Elizabeth II made history in 1991 by becoming the first British monarch to address the US Congress, she captivated the audience from the start with a characteristic joke. "I hope you can see me from where you are today," said the sovereign, causing laughter among senators and congressmen. This referred to what had happened to her the day before at the White House, where she was received by then-President George H.W. Bush, in a cringe-worthy moment where the queen, the queen of all queens, gave a speech at a podium with microphones so high that only her iconic hat was visible. The image was widely circulated. Despite the comedic situation, one can assume that the Protocol and Media responsible working at the US presidential residence at the time might have faced some consequences.
With Congress already won over, Queen Elizabeth II effortlessly continued with a memorable speech, including phrases like: "Some people believe that power comes from the barrel of a gun [referring to Mao], but history has shown that this never grows well, nor for long. Strength is ultimately sterile. We have now taken a better path, as our societies are based on mutual agreement, contract, and consensus."
King Charles III will surely have his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in mind when addressing the US Congress this Tuesday, adding another page to history. The sovereign's speech in '91 would now read as a complete rejection of the policies pursued by Donald Trump. Therefore, the current British monarch must continue to defend the same values and principles but with much more finesse.
Prince Charles and Princess Anne, welcomed by the Nixon couple at the White House.E. M.
Throughout her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II made up to four State visits to the US, not counting other lower diplomatic trips. For decades, one of the Windsor family's top priorities, as essential tools of soft diplomacy, has been to carefully nurture the "special relationship" between Washington and London. In this regard, even the Heir, Charles, made up to 19 official trips to the United States.
The Hot Dog Summit
The first British monarch to set foot in the former colonies was George VI in 1939, a highly significant trip at the time dubbed the Hot Dog Summit, now we'll see why.
George VI travelled to the US at the invitation of President Franklin Roosevelt, who was particularly interested in the royal visit. It was June 1939, just weeks before the outbreak of World War II, and as the world headed towards the greatest disaster in history, the US was leaning towards isolationism. Roosevelt understood the need to deepen the relationship with London, just as it was essential for British authorities to attract the American friend. That visit was crucial for this, and it can be said to have been decisive for the subsequent course of the global conflict and the role of the US. George VI and Queen Mary were greeted by crowds in Washington and New York. The monarch reportedly declined to address Congress due to his stuttering issues. However, they engaged in a busy schedule of events and managed to change the perception of many Americans towards the UK at that time.
One of the most remembered moments of that visit, however, was an anecdote. The Roosevelt couple invited, during one of the days of the trip, to an informal American-style picnic at their retreat on a hilltop, Top Cottage. In a relaxed atmosphere, hot dogs were served, hence the name of the previously mentioned Summit. Interestingly, the President's mother was horrified by the treatment given to the monarchs, although they enjoyed it, as later reflected in various letters.
Queen Elizabeth II made her first official visit to the US while still a princess, alongside her husband, Prince Philip of Edinburgh. This happened in October 1951, with President Harry S. Truman at the White House.
Later, as a monarch, she went on to have up to four State visits: in 1957, with President Dwight D. Eisenhower; in 1976, for the bicentennial of US independence - now her son attends for the 250th anniversary - with President Gerald Ford; in 1991, with George H. W. Bush; and in 2007, with the latter's son, George W. Bush, as the President.
During the first of those visits, in 1957, the Queen's visit greatly helped repair the strained bilateral relationship left by the Suez Crisis.
While Windsor visits to the US always have political and diplomatic objectives, the media fascination they often generate ends up overshadowing the narrative Buckingham Palace would like to convey. This was the case during the visit to the White House by the then Prince and Princess of Wales, Charles and Diana, in 1985. What made headlines worldwide that day was the iconic image of the people's princess dancing with John Travolta after the State banquet hosted by Reagan. This greatly angered Prince Charles, who felt that the whole spectacle had overshadowed his mission. The marriage with Diana was already a facade by then, but after that night, things deteriorated even further between the couple.