The Queen and US presidents: Riding with Reagan and ‘chemistry’ with Trump

There were 14 American presidents in power during the Queen’s reign.

But Lyndon B Johnson, who took office in 1963 following John F Kennedy’s assassination, never crossed paths with the Queen.

The monarch went riding with Ronald Reagan, developed a warm friendship with the Obamas and shared “automatic chemistry” with Donald Trump, according to Mr Trump himself.

In 1951, a young Princess Elizabeth – unknowingly three months away from becoming queen – travelled to Washington and saw president Harry S Truman, who was still in the Oval Office when she acceded to the throne.

US president Ronald Reagan and the Queen share their love of horses in Windsor Great Park

During her first state visit to the US in 1957, she met Dwight D Eisenhower, and the two heads of state met again two years later in Canada.

John F Kennedy and his wife Jackie dined with the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace in June 1961.

Richard Nixon dined at the palace in February 1969 and at Chequers in October 1970.

In 1976, during the US bicentennial, the Queen met Gerald Ford in the US and the following year was picture alongside Jimmy Carte when he came to London.

Ronald and Nancy Reagan stayed at Windsor Castle in 1982.

The two heads of state shared a love of horses and were famously pictured riding side by side in Windsor Great Park.

She also met Mr Reagan during an official visit to the west coast of the US in 1983.

George Bush Snr had lunch with the Queen at Buckingham Palace in 1989 and she visited him 1991.

Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary met the Queen several times, including in December 2000 when, with their daughter Chelsea, they dropped in at the palace.

George W Bush visited in July 2001 and welcomed her to the White House during a 2007 visit.

The Queen’s relationship with Barack and Michelle Obama was a warm and friendly after a reception ahead of the G20 summit in 2009.

A successful state visit to the UK followed in 2011 and the Obamas forged a strong bond with the Queen and her wider family.

Donald Trump and his wife Melania were hosted by the Queen at Windsor Castle in 2018 and returned in 2019.

He later said: “I really got to know her... we had automatic chemistry, you will understand that feeling.”

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden had tea with the Queen at Windsor in June 2021, having also met her a few days earlier at the G7 summit in Cornwall.