Royal Audience

November 1, 2023
In her remarkable career, Queen Elizabeth II did more than anyone else to keep the "special relationship" special. There is only one person who engaged with every U.S. president from Harry Truman to Joe Biden: Elizabeth II (1926-2022), whose reign as monarch of Britain lasted more than seven decades. In this intriguing book for royal watchers, Charter, U.S. editor of the Times of London, examines the relationships she had with each president, with an emphasis on the diplomatic role she played. The author believes that she impressed them with her sharp mind and grasp of global affairs, and he points out that she could be quietly persuasive when the situation demanded. When Eisenhower threatened to end the alliance over the Suez Canal crisis in 1956, Elizabeth was able to smooth things over through a personal visit. This pattern repeated several times, although protocol demanded that the substance of private discussions was never disclosed. Charter also reveals the queen's impish sense of humor, always game for a droll comment. Four presidents emerged as "particularly special to the British sovereign, spanning the three distinct generations of her reign"--Eisenhower, Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Obama. Even as "there was no downside to for US presidents in appealing alongside such a beloved figure as the Queen," Elizabeth always seemed to enjoy being in the U.S., although she never forgot the role she had to play. "Her longevity contributed to the timeless sense of the Anglo-American relationship," writes the author. "It endured, just like her." Most of the political history has been covered in more depth elsewhere, but this book serves as a handy reference to the mechanics behind maintaining the unique relationship between Britain and the U.S. Charter provides a wealth of stories about Elizabeth II and the 13 presidents she knew--and often charmed.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

January 1, 2024

The U.S. editor of the Times of London, Charter considers Queen Elizabeth II's special relationship with the United States in Royal Audience. Prepub Alert.

Copyright 2023 Library Journal

Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 22, 2024
British journalist Charter (What Has the EU Ever Done For Us?) showcases the personal side of Queen Elizabeth II (1926–2022) in this admiring survey of her relationships with 13 American presidents from Truman to Biden. According to Charter, the queen used her “crucial modern role” and considerate manner to solidify the long-term “special relationship” between the U.K. and the U.S. Her first prime minister, Winston Churchill, advised her to “stay close to the Americans” as the allies navigated post-WWII international matters, and she heeded his advice throughout her 70-year reign. Despite some high-stakes “charm offensives” during times of tension, most of the narrative focuses on uplifting stories that humanize both the royals and the first families, particularly when warm personal friendships blossomed. Most notably, Ronald Reagan and Elizabeth bonded over horses, their shared interest captured famously in a candid 1982 photograph of the two on horseback. The easy rapport between Reagan and Elizabeth not only filled human interest stories of the era; behind the scenes, it also helped convince the White House to provide covert support for the British during the Falklands War while maintaining a publicly neutral stance. Though Charter’s upbeat narrative glosses over presidential scandals and royal excesses, his interviews with eyewitnesses achieve genuine depth of insight into his subjects’ character. It adds up to a perceptive, if highly burnished, overview of diplomatic relations between two countries’ heads of state.