By Brian Freeman, Wednesday, April 29, 2026, 10:31 AM EDT
President Donald Trump’s personal connection to the British royal family is helping reinforce the broader U.S.-U.K. alliance, British journalist and filmmaker Robert Hardman said Wednesday, pointing to the president’s long-standing admiration for the monarchy and his past interactions with Queen Elizabeth II.
During an appearance on “Wake Up America,” Hardman described Trump’s relationship with the royals as more than ceremonial — rooted in both family influence and firsthand experience during his time in office.
“He talked about meeting the queen as one of the highlights of his first term,” Hardman said, noting that Trump’s admiration dates back to his upbringing. “His late mother was a huge fan of the queen — she would be glued to the television whenever she was on — and that clearly had an impact.”
Hardman, who recently authored a biography of Queen Elizabeth II, said the late monarch’s approach to diplomacy left a lasting impression on American leaders, including Trump. He recalled Trump describing his efforts to draw the queen into revealing her favorite U.S. president — a question she consistently deflected.
“She wouldn’t be drawn,” Hardman explained. “She just kept saying, ‘Oh, they were all very nice.'”
The anecdote underscores what Hardman characterized as the queen’s careful balancing act: maintaining warmth and accessibility while avoiding political favoritism, even in private conversations with world leaders.
Trump’s personal regard for the royal family, Hardman suggested, has carried into his public rhetoric, including recent remarks highlighting the “special relationship” between the United States and the United Kingdom.
That bond, he said, is strengthened not only by shared history and strategic interests but also by interpersonal ties at the highest levels.
The comments come amid renewed attention to U.S.-U.K. relations during a high-profile royal visit, as leaders on both sides of the Atlantic emphasize unity despite geopolitical tensions, including disagreements over Iran policy.
While British monarchs are constitutionally barred from engaging directly in political debate, Hardman said their role in fostering continuity and goodwill remains significant.
“What we saw in those speeches was a genuine personal connection,” he stated, “alongside the enduring relationship between the two nations.”
Hardman added that Queen Elizabeth II’s legacy continues to shape how that relationship is perceived, particularly in Washington, where her decades-long reign established a model of steady, apolitical engagement with successive American presidents.
