When Queen Elizabeth II made history in 1991 by becoming the first British monarch to address the United States Congress, she won over the audience with the start of her speech, a joke typical of her sense of humor. "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, received by then-President George H.W. Bush, in a "sink into the ground" moment where the queen, the queen of the globe, 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 American presidential residence at that time might have faced some consequences.
With Congress already captivated, it was easy for Queen Elizabeth II to continue with a memorable speech in which phrases like this resonated: "Some people believe that power grows 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 as he addresses the United States Congress this Tuesday, writing another page in history. The queen's speech in '91 would now be read as a complete rejection of the policies being pursued by Donald Trump. Therefore, the current British monarch must continue to defend the same values and principles, but with much more finesse.
Throughout her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II made up to four State visits to the US, not counting other trips of lesser diplomatic significance. For decades, one of the Windsor family's top priorities, as essential instruments 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 on the former colonies' territory was George VI in 1939, a trip of extraordinary significance at the time that the press dubbed the Hot Dog Summit, now we'll see why.
George VI traveled to the US at the invitation of President Franklin Roosevelt, who was particularly interested in that 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 in an isolationist mindset. 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 development 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 had a busy schedule of events and managed to change the perception of many Americans of that time towards the UK.
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 that such treatment was given to the monarchs, although they loved it, as later reflected in various letters.
Queen Elizabeth II made her first official trip to the United States 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, on the occasion of the bicentennial of US independence - now her son attends for the 250th anniversary - with Gerald Ford as President; in 1991, with George H. W. Bush; and in 2007, with the latter's son, George W. Bush, as the head of state.
During the first of those visits, in 1957, the Queen's visit greatly contributed to repairing the strained bilateral relationship left by the Suez Canal 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 infuriated Prince Charles, who felt that the whole spectacle had overshadowed his mission. The marriage with Diana was already a fiction by then, but after that night, things deteriorated even further between the couple.