Saturday 1 December 2018

George H. W. Bush: a President and the Windsors



George H. W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States of America, has died. He was 94. President Bush was in charge of the White House between 1989 and 1993 and also served as Vice President to Ronald Reagan between 1981 and 1989. And during his time in office, as you would expect, he had plenty of brushes with royalty. The man now being remembered for his diplomacy, strength of character and determination spent years at the highest levels of power and during that time, entertained the Queen and her family several times. Here's a look back at some of President Bush Senior's most famous meetings with the House of Windsor.


The Queen's State Visit to the US, 1991


Embed from Getty Images



George H W Bush welcomed Elizabeth II to the White House in May 1991 for a State Visit, the third the Queen had made to the country during her reign. There was a famous dinner at the White House as well as an equally celebrated moment where the microphones weren't adjusted for the royal guest who turned, briefly, into a talking hat. It didn't dull what appeared to be a warm friendship between 41 and HM who had already welcomed President Bush to the UK on an official visit several years earlier.



Dinner with Diana, 1985


Embed from Getty Images
George H W Bush was Vice President during Charles and Diana's famous visit to the United States in 1985 and during their stay, he and his wife, Barbara, accompanied the royal couple to a dinner at the British Ambassador's Residence in Washington. It might not have been as celebrated as the Travolta dance at the White House during that same stay but the photos beamed around the world as the VP to 40 got ready for his own run for the main job.


Welcoming Camilla to the corridors of power, 2005

Embed from Getty Images


Twenty years later, George H W Bush was on hand to welcome the Prince of Wales' second wife on her first overseas visit. Camilla's debut official visit following her marriage to Charles was to the US, with the couple touching down in November 2005. Former President Bush attended a dinner at the White House, now under the control of his son, George W Bush, for the royals, showing his support to the couple as they began this new phase of their lives together. 


The State Visit of Elizabeth II to the US, 2007



Embed from Getty Images


A decade and a half after hosting the Queen in Washington, George H W Bush watched on proudly as his son followed in his footsteps. Elizabeth II made a State Visit to the US in 2007 during George W Bush's second term in office as the 43rd President. As well as attending the State Dinner given for the Queen, George H W Bush and former First Lady, Barbara Bush, accompanied the royal guest on a visit to the World War Two Memorial.

No comments:

Post a Comment