US President Joe Biden has compared Queen Elizabeth to his mother.
The 78-year-old commander-in-chief and his wife, First Lady Jill Biden, was hosted for tea by the British monarch at her Windsor Castle residence on Sunday (13.06.21) and speaking afterwards, Joe admitted the queen had made him think of his mom Jean, who died in 2010 aged 93.
Praising the 95-year-old queen as “very gracious”, he told reporters: “We had a long talk, she was very generous.“I don’t think she’d be insulted but she reminded me of my mother, the look of her and just the generosity.
The meeting was scaled down due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the president and his wife met the queen at the dais in the quadrangle of the castle, before a Guard of Honour – comprising Queen’s Company First Battalion Grenadier Guards – performed a Royal Salute.
Major James Taylor and Major General Christopher Ghika then accompanied the president on an inspection of the Honour Guard.
The queen’s guests then entered the castle through the Sovereign’s Entrance to enjoy tea with her.
Before leaving the UK – where he’s been attending the G7 summit – the president revealed to reporters that the queen had asked about Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, the leaders of Russia and China, during their 45-minute tea, and asked what life in the White House was like.
Mr. Biden said: “I said, this is… we could fit the White House in the courtyard.”
He also confirmed he had invited the queen to visit him in the US.
It wasn’t the pair’s first meeting as on Friday (11.06.21), the monarch, along with other senior royals, attended a reception for the G7 leaders at the Eden Project in Cornwall.