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The Queen and Her Presidents: The Hidden Hand That Shaped History
The Crown meets The West Wing in this illuminating history that chronicles the largely unknown story of Queen Elizabeth II’s relationship with thirteen American presidents, from Harry S. Truman to Donald J. Trump, and changed world history.
No American or foreign leader has met with as many sitting presidents as Queen Elizabeth II. Her Royal Majesty’s seventy-year reign witnessed the highs and lows of the close and crucial alliance between the U.S. and the U.K., from the Suez crisis to Brexit.
Following the advice of her mentor, Winston Churchill, to “stay close to the Americans,” Queen Elizabeth played an unexpected role behind the scenes that has never been thoroughly explored. In The Queen and Her Presidents, veteran political reporter Susan Page goes beyond the image of a staid monarch in colorful hats to reveal a skilled strategist, who, like many powerful women, was routinely underestimated and discounted.
Page also shows the impact American presidents had on the monarch as she developed from a shy, anxious princess to a powerful and persuasive global leader, and analyzes both the reach and the limits of the “soft power” she wielded. These accounts of the Queen’s deft diplomacy provide candid and telling assessments of her partners in the Oval Office as well.
Page shares fascinating true stories and details,
Going beyond rumors and speculation, the reality of the relationship between Donald Trump and Queen Elizabeth – and Trump’s own surprising comments about the monarch whose approval he coveted. The unexpected and genuine connection between the Queen and Barack Obama, and her surprising admission to him, and how each ranked the other as among the most impressive leaders of their lifetimes. Her influential friendship with Ronald Reagan during the Cold War, a bond built on their shared love of horses—and their conflict with Britain’s then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. How Richard Nixon sought the Queen’s help during Watergate—and even wanted to make her a relative. Elizabeth’s hand-in-glove cooperation with John F. Kennedy and the distance from his successor, Lyndon Johnson, the only president who declined to meet with her in office. The almost paternal role played by Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower, offering support and advice as the young monarch assumed the crown in the wake of her beloved father’s death. Eye-opening and compelling, The Queen and Her Presidents is a remarkable chronicle of a legendary contemporary monarch and the American presidents who helped shape who helped shape her—and were shaped by her.
No American or foreign leader has met with as many sitting presidents as Queen Elizabeth II. Her Royal Majesty’s seventy-year reign witnessed the highs and lows of the close and crucial alliance between the U.S. and the U.K., from the Suez crisis to Brexit.
Following the advice of her mentor, Winston Churchill, to “stay close to the Americans,” Queen Elizabeth played an unexpected role behind the scenes that has never been thoroughly explored. In The Queen and Her Presidents, veteran political reporter Susan Page goes beyond the image of a staid monarch in colorful hats to reveal a skilled strategist, who, like many powerful women, was routinely underestimated and discounted.
Page also shows the impact American presidents had on the monarch as she developed from a shy, anxious princess to a powerful and persuasive global leader, and analyzes both the reach and the limits of the “soft power” she wielded. These accounts of the Queen’s deft diplomacy provide candid and telling assessments of her partners in the Oval Office as well.
Page shares fascinating true stories and details,
Going beyond rumors and speculation, the reality of the relationship between Donald Trump and Queen Elizabeth – and Trump’s own surprising comments about the monarch whose approval he coveted. The unexpected and genuine connection between the Queen and Barack Obama, and her surprising admission to him, and how each ranked the other as among the most impressive leaders of their lifetimes. Her influential friendship with Ronald Reagan during the Cold War, a bond built on their shared love of horses—and their conflict with Britain’s then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. How Richard Nixon sought the Queen’s help during Watergate—and even wanted to make her a relative. Elizabeth’s hand-in-glove cooperation with John F. Kennedy and the distance from his successor, Lyndon Johnson, the only president who declined to meet with her in office. The almost paternal role played by Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower, offering support and advice as the young monarch assumed the crown in the wake of her beloved father’s death. Eye-opening and compelling, The Queen and Her Presidents is a remarkable chronicle of a legendary contemporary monarch and the American presidents who helped shape who helped shape her—and were shaped by her.
368 pages, Hardcover
Published April 14, 2026
124 people are currently reading
360 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 5, 2026
I have found over the years, history repeats itself, no truer than in this book as you will relive many of the news breaking headlines of the Royals and Americans for over the last 75 years or so.
The book was a bit all over the place as the author described each engagement with each of the U. S. Presidents, sprinkling in way too many historic details, eg UK Prime Minister day to day stuff
that her Majesty was not involved in.
I will summerize here a few of my favourite stories that either I remember being in the news or had never been heard before.
Harry Truman
Her first dealings with Truman was when she was still a princess and the words of wisdom he imposed on her. She was in Kenya ( Obama birth place) when she received the news of her father’s death.
Dwight D Eisenhower
In power at the time of her coronation. Interestingly, in attendance was a young reporter for the Washington Times named Jaqueline Bouvier. This US president turned down two invitations to visit the Queen, just too much happening with the Suez Canal. When she landed on US soil in 1957, it was the first time sitting royalty had been to the US. It was a whirlwind 6 day trip and they had been greeted by Chief of Protocol Wylie Buchanan , now a much more confident woman then in the past times when her and Dwight had met in her youth.
Loved Jack Kennedy as she began to feel more comfortable as Queen. Found him very inexperienced for the job though, as he was trying to learn everything.
LBJ - did not go well, he never did get his state visit.
Nixon - being a bit of a matchmaker with his daughters and Charles, but to no avail.
When he resigned, it was easy then to cancel their second meeting which they had been postponing over the Watergate scandal.
Ford’s experience with the Queen was uneventful, their last meeting was aboard the Britannia as they were enroute to Canada to open the Montreal Olympics.
Jimmy Carter, regifted, sort of, plates that were to have been gifted to the Queen during Nixon’s tenure, however when he resigned she did not get them. Carter unearthed them from storage and relabeled them to celebrate her 25 years on the throne.
The Queen loved Hollywood movies and her and Reagan hit it off with some quiet horseback riding, they did get along and then too at his ranch in California
Bush senior and the hat incident at the podium, the talking hat is a funny story.
Bush, his chivalry award, the highest British honour the government can award, given right at the end of his tenure.
Clinton winning the next presidential election was not favoured by then British Prime Minister John Major and all was off to a rocky start. Next up with PM Tony Blair, Clinton turned down tea at the palace to dine with the Blair’s( the Queen’s least fav PM)
Clinton’s bad behaviour in the Oval office lost Clinton’s chance at a state dinner, but in the end they did have tea with her where Bill told her he had played golf with Andrew ( her disgraced eldest son) in Martha’s Vineyard and he beat Clinton. Must have been buddies, ha ha.
PG 991 I hi-lighted a good synopsis of this book.
George W. and his antics during his father’s presidency is mentioned, taken lightly with her Majesty
Obama arrives and they hit it off, said to be her favourite. A woman who knows the rich history of her commonwealth well, as does Barack. A fun fact, at his birth in 1961, she had been on the throne for 9 years.
Much fun for Obama’s young daughters as they were able to have a ride in the gilded carriage around the courtyard away from the lights of the media.
A beautiful vintage 1950’s pin from Michelle pleased the Queen, she had bought it at a jewelry store 2 blocks from the White House
The most trying period was with Trump, merely because being so curious as she was about his history and what she had heard about him, she tolerated him. She was a true diplomat, and very discreet.
Biden brings a return to steady leadership, his words of wisdom from his mother years ago are funny. “Nobody was above a Biden”, she said.
Winston Churchill’s bust was out again, in came 5 famous Americans
To sum it up Obama was her favourite and then Reagan, but her majesty was very good at handling Trump, and as well it seems King Charles has his number.
Overall, I enjoyed all the stories and the refresh on our history, but will continue to finish reading all books authored by Doris Kearns Goodwin, check her out if you have not already.
The book was a bit all over the place as the author described each engagement with each of the U. S. Presidents, sprinkling in way too many historic details, eg UK Prime Minister day to day stuff
that her Majesty was not involved in.
I will summerize here a few of my favourite stories that either I remember being in the news or had never been heard before.
Harry Truman
Her first dealings with Truman was when she was still a princess and the words of wisdom he imposed on her. She was in Kenya ( Obama birth place) when she received the news of her father’s death.
Dwight D Eisenhower
In power at the time of her coronation. Interestingly, in attendance was a young reporter for the Washington Times named Jaqueline Bouvier. This US president turned down two invitations to visit the Queen, just too much happening with the Suez Canal. When she landed on US soil in 1957, it was the first time sitting royalty had been to the US. It was a whirlwind 6 day trip and they had been greeted by Chief of Protocol Wylie Buchanan , now a much more confident woman then in the past times when her and Dwight had met in her youth.
Loved Jack Kennedy as she began to feel more comfortable as Queen. Found him very inexperienced for the job though, as he was trying to learn everything.
LBJ - did not go well, he never did get his state visit.
Nixon - being a bit of a matchmaker with his daughters and Charles, but to no avail.
When he resigned, it was easy then to cancel their second meeting which they had been postponing over the Watergate scandal.
Ford’s experience with the Queen was uneventful, their last meeting was aboard the Britannia as they were enroute to Canada to open the Montreal Olympics.
Jimmy Carter, regifted, sort of, plates that were to have been gifted to the Queen during Nixon’s tenure, however when he resigned she did not get them. Carter unearthed them from storage and relabeled them to celebrate her 25 years on the throne.
The Queen loved Hollywood movies and her and Reagan hit it off with some quiet horseback riding, they did get along and then too at his ranch in California
Bush senior and the hat incident at the podium, the talking hat is a funny story.
Bush, his chivalry award, the highest British honour the government can award, given right at the end of his tenure.
Clinton winning the next presidential election was not favoured by then British Prime Minister John Major and all was off to a rocky start. Next up with PM Tony Blair, Clinton turned down tea at the palace to dine with the Blair’s( the Queen’s least fav PM)
Clinton’s bad behaviour in the Oval office lost Clinton’s chance at a state dinner, but in the end they did have tea with her where Bill told her he had played golf with Andrew ( her disgraced eldest son) in Martha’s Vineyard and he beat Clinton. Must have been buddies, ha ha.
PG 991 I hi-lighted a good synopsis of this book.
George W. and his antics during his father’s presidency is mentioned, taken lightly with her Majesty
Obama arrives and they hit it off, said to be her favourite. A woman who knows the rich history of her commonwealth well, as does Barack. A fun fact, at his birth in 1961, she had been on the throne for 9 years.
Much fun for Obama’s young daughters as they were able to have a ride in the gilded carriage around the courtyard away from the lights of the media.
A beautiful vintage 1950’s pin from Michelle pleased the Queen, she had bought it at a jewelry store 2 blocks from the White House
The most trying period was with Trump, merely because being so curious as she was about his history and what she had heard about him, she tolerated him. She was a true diplomat, and very discreet.
Biden brings a return to steady leadership, his words of wisdom from his mother years ago are funny. “Nobody was above a Biden”, she said.
Winston Churchill’s bust was out again, in came 5 famous Americans
To sum it up Obama was her favourite and then Reagan, but her majesty was very good at handling Trump, and as well it seems King Charles has his number.
Overall, I enjoyed all the stories and the refresh on our history, but will continue to finish reading all books authored by Doris Kearns Goodwin, check her out if you have not already.
May 6, 2026
First, thank you to Susan Page, HarperAudio, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced listening copy of The Queen and Her Presidents: The Hidden Hand That Shaped History.
I went into this book genuinely excited. Queen Elizabeth II is a fascinating figure, and the idea of exploring her relationships with U.S. presidents felt like a compelling and unique angle. Unfortunately, what had the potential to be a five star read ultimately landed closer to a three for me.
On the positive side, the writing is solid: clear, well-structured, and mostly chronological, making it easy to follow the sequence of events. There’s also a fair amount of insightful and relevant information, particularly when the focus stays on the Queen’s interactions with American presidents. Those sections were engaging and delivered on the book’s core premise.
However, a few elements pulled me out of the experience. As an audiobook, the narration didn’t quite hold my attention. While it’s understandable why the author chose to narrate it herself, the delivery felt somewhat flat and could have benefited from more variation in tone.
Additionally, the book includes a noticeable amount of redundant or tangential material. Some topics, such as discussions involving Diana, Princess of Wales and Prince Harry felt unnecessary and only loosely connected to the central theme. These sections made the narrative feel unfocused at times. There were also moments where the content came across as more opinion driven rather than strictly informative, which detracted from the overall credibility.
In the end, while there are interesting insights here, the inconsistencies and lack of focus make it difficult for me to recommend this to readers specifically looking to learn more about Queen Elizabeth II and her diplomatic relationships.
I went into this book genuinely excited. Queen Elizabeth II is a fascinating figure, and the idea of exploring her relationships with U.S. presidents felt like a compelling and unique angle. Unfortunately, what had the potential to be a five star read ultimately landed closer to a three for me.
On the positive side, the writing is solid: clear, well-structured, and mostly chronological, making it easy to follow the sequence of events. There’s also a fair amount of insightful and relevant information, particularly when the focus stays on the Queen’s interactions with American presidents. Those sections were engaging and delivered on the book’s core premise.
However, a few elements pulled me out of the experience. As an audiobook, the narration didn’t quite hold my attention. While it’s understandable why the author chose to narrate it herself, the delivery felt somewhat flat and could have benefited from more variation in tone.
Additionally, the book includes a noticeable amount of redundant or tangential material. Some topics, such as discussions involving Diana, Princess of Wales and Prince Harry felt unnecessary and only loosely connected to the central theme. These sections made the narrative feel unfocused at times. There were also moments where the content came across as more opinion driven rather than strictly informative, which detracted from the overall credibility.
In the end, while there are interesting insights here, the inconsistencies and lack of focus make it difficult for me to recommend this to readers specifically looking to learn more about Queen Elizabeth II and her diplomatic relationships.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you @harperbooks for the free book 💖.
🗓️Out 4/14/26
This book was way more detailed than I expected in the best possible way. It offers a behind the scenes look at Queen Elizabeth II’s interactions with U.S. presidents and their families, revealing stories I’d personally never heard before. It’s clearly well researched, and the level of detail made it feel both informative and intimate.
Queen Elizabeth II became queen at just 25 after her father’s early death and her uncle’s abdication. Imagine taking on that responsibility at such a young age! Over her 96 years, she witnessed immense global change, crossing paths with more historical figures than almost anyone else, and quietly earned respect through steady diplomacy and grace.
The book dives into fascinating anecdotes, rumors, gifts exchanged with presidents, relationships with First Ladies, and even her love for her dogs. Her resilience as a woman in a male-dominated role is inspiring, and her quiet strength and commitment to duty shine throughout. I appreciated how thoughtfully she handled certain stumbles on her royal visits, too. You could see her sense of humor in many instances. There is so much to learn about her experiences in this book.
No matter your views on the monarchy, the kind of resilience she showed in her time is undeniably admirable. Through everything she faced, she remained committed to her duty and carried herself with quiet strength and privacy, a quality that is honestly very rare to see these days.
If you’re even a little curious about history, leadership, or the human side of public figures, this is one I recommend.
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🗓️Out 4/14/26
This book was way more detailed than I expected in the best possible way. It offers a behind the scenes look at Queen Elizabeth II’s interactions with U.S. presidents and their families, revealing stories I’d personally never heard before. It’s clearly well researched, and the level of detail made it feel both informative and intimate.
Queen Elizabeth II became queen at just 25 after her father’s early death and her uncle’s abdication. Imagine taking on that responsibility at such a young age! Over her 96 years, she witnessed immense global change, crossing paths with more historical figures than almost anyone else, and quietly earned respect through steady diplomacy and grace.
The book dives into fascinating anecdotes, rumors, gifts exchanged with presidents, relationships with First Ladies, and even her love for her dogs. Her resilience as a woman in a male-dominated role is inspiring, and her quiet strength and commitment to duty shine throughout. I appreciated how thoughtfully she handled certain stumbles on her royal visits, too. You could see her sense of humor in many instances. There is so much to learn about her experiences in this book.
No matter your views on the monarchy, the kind of resilience she showed in her time is undeniably admirable. Through everything she faced, she remained committed to her duty and carried herself with quiet strength and privacy, a quality that is honestly very rare to see these days.
If you’re even a little curious about history, leadership, or the human side of public figures, this is one I recommend.
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
London Bridge is down.
That was the code used on September 8 of 2022 when Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral at the age of 96.
Her reign spanned seven decades and she was an invisible bridge across the Atlantic for thirteen US presidents.
Susan Page has taken the time to walk us through the reign of this iconic monarch while noting her interactions with our presidents along the way.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the audio book as narrated by the author. It is quite long at 14+ hours, but was a welcome companion during walks with the dog and mundane household chores.
Even if you are a history buff, I would bet that there will be some juicy tidbits that are new to you in this book.
Here are a few I especially enjoyed:
🌭Elizabeth enjoying hot dogs at the Roosevelt estate with her parents and sister Margaret.
📫Details about her correspondence with JFK.
✌Her deft dealings with Richard Nixon.
🐴The horsey bond with Reagan and her report about eating "used beans" at their ranch.
🤠A running joke about cowboy boots with G.W. Bush.
And there is so much more. You will be touched, tickled, and at times want to cringe over the interactions between the Royals and the White House. In the end you will be incredibly impressed with HRM and the achievements of her decades in service to Britain.
Thank you to Harper Audio and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
That was the code used on September 8 of 2022 when Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral at the age of 96.
Her reign spanned seven decades and she was an invisible bridge across the Atlantic for thirteen US presidents.
Susan Page has taken the time to walk us through the reign of this iconic monarch while noting her interactions with our presidents along the way.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the audio book as narrated by the author. It is quite long at 14+ hours, but was a welcome companion during walks with the dog and mundane household chores.
Even if you are a history buff, I would bet that there will be some juicy tidbits that are new to you in this book.
Here are a few I especially enjoyed:
🌭Elizabeth enjoying hot dogs at the Roosevelt estate with her parents and sister Margaret.
📫Details about her correspondence with JFK.
✌Her deft dealings with Richard Nixon.
🐴The horsey bond with Reagan and her report about eating "used beans" at their ranch.
🤠A running joke about cowboy boots with G.W. Bush.
And there is so much more. You will be touched, tickled, and at times want to cringe over the interactions between the Royals and the White House. In the end you will be incredibly impressed with HRM and the achievements of her decades in service to Britain.
Thank you to Harper Audio and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
April 22, 2026
Very interesting to review the history between the US and the UK via the interactions between the Queen and the presidents. Of course, there were others involved…prime ministers, First Ladies, secretaries of state, etc. The book starts when Elizabeth was still a princess and her father, the king, was a guest of FDR. As the book progresses, each president has his own chapter. I listened to them all (but only a little bit about trump because of his obsequiousness and self-grandeur. Seriously, would the queen really enjoy entertaining a former nude model?) Queen Elizabeth’s death is included and the transition to the reign of King Charles discussed before the epilogue summary of the Queen. At first I wasn’t happy with the author narrating her book, but soon became accustomed to her voice and did not find it distracting.
April 29, 2026
I liked this book. It is very readable. I could hardly put it down. And it was interesting, she is interesting!
Really great if you are interested in Queen Elizabeth II's life as well as some historical and human stories about Presidents of the USA from Truman through Trump.
Queen Elizabeth II was intelligent and very observant. She did all that she could do to help her country as well as make great observations and sometimes friendships with U.S. Presidents. She had a good sense of humor and a wonderfully honed expertise on human nature.
She also had met all the famous people in the entire world from the time she became a princess during World War II. She worked hard for her country and for the world her grandchildren would inherit.
I never wanted to become president but I would have loved to have met her!
Really great if you are interested in Queen Elizabeth II's life as well as some historical and human stories about Presidents of the USA from Truman through Trump.
Queen Elizabeth II was intelligent and very observant. She did all that she could do to help her country as well as make great observations and sometimes friendships with U.S. Presidents. She had a good sense of humor and a wonderfully honed expertise on human nature.
She also had met all the famous people in the entire world from the time she became a princess during World War II. She worked hard for her country and for the world her grandchildren would inherit.
I never wanted to become president but I would have loved to have met her!
April 25, 2026
An evocative walk down memory lane in Susan Page’s well-researched and insightful review of Queen Elizabeth II’s relationship with 13 US presidents from Harry Truman to Joe Biden, based on personal interviews and meticulous research.
35 pages of footnotes, 6 pages of selected bibliography and 12-page Index.
Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral September 8, 2022 at the age of 96.
35 pages of footnotes, 6 pages of selected bibliography and 12-page Index.
Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral September 8, 2022 at the age of 96.
April 26, 2026
Excellent writing on an untapped subject of one of the most tenured and perhaps underrated leaders of the modern era. This was exactly the subject of a book I had wished to write myself, but Susan Page beat me to it, and expertly executed!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you Harper Books for the free advance copy!
4.5 stars out of 5
During Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 year reign, she interacted with more than a dozen US Presidents. This book provides insight into those relationships as well as the ones between her prime ministers and the US leaders. In general, the US/UK alliance was strong during this period, but tensions did arise every so often between the global powers.
After the death of her father, Elizabeth inherited the throne at 25 years old. It was a lot to take on but she rose to the challenge and grew into the diplomatic role. She was intelligent and knew her stuff and earned the respect of countless leaders. It’s a tough gig trying to juggle so many egos and personalities while maintaining decorum.
I found this book to be an interesting and fun read. I was able to learn more about the challenges in maintaining good relations with the US. True to her diplomatic nature, she kept mum on her favorites, but it did become apparent while reading she genuinely enjoyed the company of some of the presidents more than others. It’s also nice knowing she could laugh at herself and got a kick out of some of the mishaps like the talking hat debacle.
Highly recommend this book for fans of the tv show, The Crown, and history enthusiasts.
4.5 stars out of 5
During Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 year reign, she interacted with more than a dozen US Presidents. This book provides insight into those relationships as well as the ones between her prime ministers and the US leaders. In general, the US/UK alliance was strong during this period, but tensions did arise every so often between the global powers.
After the death of her father, Elizabeth inherited the throne at 25 years old. It was a lot to take on but she rose to the challenge and grew into the diplomatic role. She was intelligent and knew her stuff and earned the respect of countless leaders. It’s a tough gig trying to juggle so many egos and personalities while maintaining decorum.
I found this book to be an interesting and fun read. I was able to learn more about the challenges in maintaining good relations with the US. True to her diplomatic nature, she kept mum on her favorites, but it did become apparent while reading she genuinely enjoyed the company of some of the presidents more than others. It’s also nice knowing she could laugh at herself and got a kick out of some of the mishaps like the talking hat debacle.
Highly recommend this book for fans of the tv show, The Crown, and history enthusiasts.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews