Royal Audience

David Charter is the U.S. editor of The Times of London. He was previously The Times correspondent in Berlin, its chief political correspondent in the U.K., and Europe Correspondent in Brussels. David moved from Berlin to the United States in 2018 with his family and now lives in Washington, DC.

"A fascinating, in-depth look at international relations and interpersonal intrigue, Royal Audience peels back the curtain on the "special relationship" between the U.S. and the U.K. as embodied by the Queen herself--charting Elizabeth II's distinctive brand of one-to-one diplomacy through the eyes of those who experienced it firsthand. From horse-riding with Ronald Reagan, to sharing her recipe for scones with Dwight D. Eisenhower, to striking up a kinship with the Bushes and the Obamas, the Queen's interactions with her U.S. counterparts often acted as a restorative tonic for relations between two nations, even when political tensions ran high. Not all royal encounters with U.S. presidents went smoothly, though. Between Jackie Kennedy's complaints about Elizabeth and the Queen Mother's shock at being kissed on the lips by Jimmy Carter, there was never a dull moment. Throughout the years, Queen Elizabeth II's sense of duty and service remained steadfast, and her iconic legacy is unlikely to be repeated."