Not Just Trump, Queen Elizabeth Was Once Annoyed With Obama and Ordered Him to ‘Go to Bed’
The late Queen Elizabeth was known for her calm and composed demeanor, always maintaining a stoic appearance that reflected her respect for the Crown. Still, human as she was, Palace insiders have claimed she would get annoyed or impatient when exhausted. One such occasion came during a state visit with former U.S. President Barack Obama. As recounted in royal author Valentine Low’s book, the late Queen reportedly grew tired of exchanging pleasantries and bluntly told the President to 'go to bed' when he overstayed his welcome.
As reported by the Daily Beast, in serialized excerpts from Low's new book, Power and the Palace, the author wrote that as the evening of the state dinner dragged on, the late Queen allegedly leaned over to finance minister George Osborne and said, "Will you tell President Obama it’s time to go to bed?" Low claimed that she was tired while Obama was enjoying himself, and wanted to retreat to her room to rest. As per News.com.au, Osborne is quoted in the book as having said, "I could see Obama surrounded by this big crowd. Am I supposed to go and tell him to go to bed? It was about midnight. And the Queen’s private secretary, Christopher Geidt, stepped in and said, ‘We are handling the situation, Chancellor.'"
In the book, Low also alleged that the late monarch was privately against Brexit. A senior minister claimed that, three months before the 2016 referendum, she reportedly remarked that Britain 'shouldn’t leave the EU.' Discussing the upcoming vote, the MP recalled her adding, "It’s better to stick with the devil you know." According to Low, the exchange was relayed to then–Prime Minister David Cameron, who considered using it in the Remain campaign but allegedly decided against it. Sources also told the Daily Beast that the Queen often challenged dinner guests by asking, "Tell me three things Europe has done for us."
Interestingly, Obama isn't the only U.S. President that the late Queen was allegedly annoyed with. According to the Sunday Times, when Donald Trump visited the UK for the 75th anniversary of D-Day in 2019, his Marine One helicopter is said to have left scorch marks and craters on the Palace lawns. This reportedly had the Queen ranting about the same to Scott Morrison, the Australian Prime Minister. A source close to Morrison spilled, "He had gotten off the plane and went straight to the Palace to see the Queen, who led him out to the gardens and said, ‘Come and look at my lawn. It’s ruined.'" Morrison had also traveled to the UK for the 75th D-Day commemorations.
The Times claimed that the late Queen loved her corgis so much that she had allegedly rejected a request from US security services for six helicopters to land at Windsor Castle. She also reportedly insisted on fewer helicopters to protect her lawns when Obama visited. While Trump bragged about her enjoying his company, the Queen's friend, Monty Roberts, claimed the monarch allegedly found him to be ‘rude' and disliked the way he couldn't stop looking over her shoulder as if bored, as if wishing to interact with someone more interesting.