For US President Joe Biden, it was the crumpets. For his wife, first lady Jill Biden, it was the tea.
The Bidens on Sunday helped honour Queen Elizabeth II by sharing memories of their visit to Windsor Castle, near London.
The president, who said after that 2021 visit that the queen reminded him of his late mother, recalled on Sunday that she kept offering him crumpets. He did not refuse.
“I kept eating everything she put in front of me,” he said. “But she was the same in person as … her image: decent, honourable and all about service.”
-
Queen Elizabeth II welcomes former US president John Kennedy to Buckingham Palace. AP -
The queen did not meet with Kennedy's successor, Lyndon Johnson. AP -
Queen Elizabeth speaking during a banquet in Buckingham Palace alongside Barack Obama, the US president at the time. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth with US President Joe Biden at Windsor Castle in England on June 13, 2021. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth with the Bidens at Windsor Castle. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth with US first lady Jill Biden in the Grand Corridor at Windsor Castle. Getty Images -
The Bidens with the queen at Windsor Castle. Reuters -
Mr Biden and Queen Elizabeth. Reuters -
Ms Biden with the queen at Windsor Castle. Reuters -
Mr Biden and his wife with the queen after attending the G7 Leader's Summit. Getty Images -
Former US president Barack Obama and the queen during a State Banquet in Buckingham Palace on May 24, 2011 in London. Getty Images -
Mr Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama are welcomed by the queen to Buckingham Palace on April 1, 2009. Photo: White House -
Ms Obama greets football star David Beckham at a dinner in honour of the queen at Winfield House in London, on May 25, 2011. Photo: US National Archives -
Mr Obama and Queen Elizabeth greet guests including actor Colin Firth at Winfield House, on May 25, 2011. Photo: US National Archives -
Mr Obama and his wife attend a State Banquet hosted by the queen at Buckingham Palace. Photo: US National Archives -
Mr and Mrs Obama receive the queen and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, prior to a dinner in the queen's honour at Winfield House in London. Photo: US National Archives -
Mr and Ms Obama talk with the queen, Prince Philip, US ambassador Louis Susman and his wife, Margaret. Photo: US National Archives -
The queen and the Obamas at Winfield House, the residence of the US ambassador. Getty Images -
The Obamas walk out to pose with the queen and Prince Phillip before a state dinner at Buckingham Palace. Reuters -
Mr Obama and his wife pose for photographs with the queen and Prince Philip during an audience at Buckingham Palace on April 1, 2009. Getty Images -
Former US president Donald Trump and the queen inspect a Guard of Honour, formed of the Coldstream Guards, at Windsor Castle in July 2018. Getty Images -
Former US first lady Melania Trump, the queen and the Duchess of Cornwall during the Ceremonial Welcome at Buckingham Palace. Photo: US National Archives -
Mr Trump was criticised for walking ahead of the queen. Getty Images -
The queen stands with Mr Trump and his wife Melania Trump as they listen to the US national anthem during a welcome ceremony at Buckingham Palace. AFP -
The queen with Mr Trump as he arrived in Britain for a state visit, which was overshadowed by his outspoken remarks on Brexit. AFP -
Bill Clinton, the US president at the time, talks with the queen with Hillary Rodham Clinton and daughter Chelsea at the Garden Entrance of Buckingham Palace in December 2000. AFP -
The queen, George W Bush, the US president at the time, Laura Bush, and the Duke of Edinburgh pose in the music room at Buckingham Palace in November 2003. Getty Images -
The queen made a state visit to the US White House and was received by then-president George HW Bush and his wife Barbara Bush, along with Prince Philip, in May 1991. Getty Images -
The queen and former US president George W Bush meet well-wishers outside the White House in May 2007. Getty Images -
The queen accompanying Mr Bush, his wife Laura, then-US secretary of state Colin Powell and his wife Alma Powell, and the Duke of Edinburgh as they enter the Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace in 2003. AP -
The elder Bush and his wife arrive on May 16, 1991, at a dinner at the British embassy in Washington accompanied by the queen and her husband. AFP -
Queen Margrethe of Denmark, Prince Philip, the queen, former French president Jacques Chirac, Bernadette Chirac, George W Bush, Ms Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend the commemoration ceremony for the 60th anniversary of D-Day on June 6, 2004, in Arromanches, France. Getty Images -
Then-US president Jimmy Carter joins the queen and Prince Philip at Buckingham Palace when he and six other world leaders attended a dinner. Getty Images -
The queen raises a glass with then-US president Gerald Ford. Photo: US National Archives -
The queen dances with Ford at the White House in Washington. Photo: US National Archives / Ford Library -
Prince Philip, former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, the queen and US president at the time John Kennedy appear together at Buckingham Palace after a dinner party in 1961. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth out riding with then-US president Ronald Reagan at Windsor Park. PA -
Queen Elizabeth with the West German chancellor at the time Helmut Kohl, Reagan, and the British prime minister at the time Margaret Thatcher at Buckingham Palace. AP -
Reagan and Queen Elizabeth at a gala dinner at Windsor Castle. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth with UK prime minister at the time Edward Heath and then-US president Richard Nixon and his wife Pat Nixon at Chequers in Buckinghamshire. PA -
Queen Elizabeth with Nixon. AP -
Queen Elizabeth entertains Nixon during a lunch at Buckingham Palace. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth hosting Jimmy Carter, the US president at the time. Photo: US National Archives -
Carter reportedly kissed the queen's mother on the mouth. Photo: US National Archives -
The queen and Carter at a state dinner at Buckingham Palace. PA -
Bill Clinton and Queen Elizabeth smile for the cameras during the group photo session at the Guildhall before a celebratory banquet for the 50th anniversary of D-Day. AFP -
Clinton and his wife Hillary meet Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace. AFP -
Before she became queen, then-Princess Elizabeth joined President Harry Truman in the chief executive's limousine for her ride to Blair House after arriving at Military Air Transport Service Terminal in Washington. Photo: US National Archives -
Queen Elizabeth with US president Harry S Truman. Photo: US National Archive
The queen, who was Britain’s longest-serving monarch, died earlier this month after a 70-year reign. Mr Biden is among hundreds of heads of state and other dignitaries who are in London to attend her state funeral service on Monday at Westminster Abbey.
The first lady told The Associated Press in a telephone interview after she and the president attended a reception at Buckingham Palace that “what really impressed me” about the queen was “just how warm and gracious she was”.
“I loved her sense of curiosity. She wanted to know all about American politics and so she asked Joe question after question,” Ms Biden said.
She said sitting in the queen's living room was “almost like being, you know, with your grandmother”.
“And she said, ‘Let me pour the tea,’ and we said, ‘No, no, let us help,’ and she said ‘Oh, no, no, no, I’ll get this. You sit down,’” she said. “And it was just a very special moment with a very special woman.”
-
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla inspect floral tributes left for his late mother Queen Elizabeth II outside Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland. Getty -
A picture of Queen Elizabeth is among flowers left by mourners outside Buckingham Palace in London. AFP -
Members of the public leave flowers and tributes at The Long Walk gates in front of Windsor Castle in Windsor, England. Getty -
Members of the public look at flowers and tributes left in Green Park in London. AFP -
Flowers and tributes placed by mourners at the Cambridge gate outside Windsor Castle, west of London. AFP -
A child lays flowers in remembrance of Queen Elizabeth outside the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. AP
The Bidens paid their respects to the queen on Sunday when they travelled to Westminster Hall, where she has been lying in state, to stand before the monarch’s coffin in the presence of thousands of mourners who had spent hours upon hours waiting to file past.
They then signed condolence books at Lancaster House before going to Buckingham Palace for a reception hosted by King Charles III and other royal family members for the world leaders who had flown in for the funeral.
After signing the book, Mr Biden said his heart goes out to the royal family because the queen’s death has left it with a “giant hole”.
“Sometimes you think … you’ll never overcome it,” said Mr Biden, who often speaks in very personal terms about loss following the death of his first wife and infant daughter, and later an adult son.
“But as I’ve told the king, she’s going to be with him every step of the way — every minute, every moment. And that’s a reassuring notion.”
While viewing the coffin on Sunday, the first lady said she watched a little boy dressed in a Boy Scout uniform come in and give the queen a three-finger salute.
“I mean, it just gave me a lump in my throat,” she said, and showed “how much the people really loved their queen, no matter their ages”.
Mr Biden wrote in the condolence book that the queen “was admired around the world for her unwavering commitment to service”.
The first lady signed a separate condolence book for spouses and ambassadors, writing: “Queen Elizabeth lived her life for the people. She served with wisdom and grace. We will never forget her warmth, kindness and the conversations we shared.”
Speaking of Charles, Ms Biden told AP: “He is the king, but no one should forget, he lost his mother and, you know, Prince William lost a grandmother. Sometimes we tend to forget the really human piece of this and the sorrow that they … have to bear and how they have to grieve in public. But they seem to be doing OK.”
More than 2,000 people were expected at Westminster Abbey for Monday’s funeral.
-
US actress Marilyn Monroe and actor Victor Mature meet the British monarch at the Empire Theatre in London. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth II meets actor Charlie Chaplin at the Empire Theatre in London. Getty -
She meets actress Veronica Hurst and actor Rock Hudson at the Royal Film Performance in London in 1952. Getty -
Frank Sinatra is presented to Queen Elizabeth at a movie premiere. PA -
The queen with US actress Jayne Mansfield and British actor Stanley Baker at the Odeon Theatre in London. AP -
Queen Elizabeth meets actor Rex Harrison and his wife Rachel Roberts at the premiere of 'Dr Dolittle' in London. Getty -
Mother Teresa receives the Insignia of the Honorary Order of Merit from Queen Elizabeth in New Delhi. AP -
South African leader Nelson Mandela with Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace. AP -
The queen meets Spice Girls members Emma Bunton and Victoria Beckham. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth with US performer Jennifer Lopez in London. Getty -
The monarch with pop star Madonna at London's Albert Hall. WireImage -
Queen Elizabeth greets actor Sir Roger Moore at Windsor Castle. Getty -
She shakes hands with US singer Lady Gaga in Blackpool, England. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth meets US actress and singer Bette Midler. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth at Wimbledon with tennis stars Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic, Andy Roddick, Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki. Getty -
UK tennis player Andy Murray and Jarkko Nieminen of Finland meet the queen at Wimbledon. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip with with Pope Benedict XVI at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, which was her official residence in Scotland. Getty -
She meets actor Rowan Atkinson and actress Gillian Anderson at Buckingham Palace. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth presents artist David Hockney with the Order of Merit at Buckingham Palace. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth speaks to actresses Joan Collins and Kate O'Mara and singer Shirley Bassey. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth and musician Gary Barlow on stage during the diamond jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace. Getty -
From left, Sir Elton John, Sir Cliff Richard, Dame Shirley Bassey, Sir Tom Jones and Sir Paul McCartney meet the monarch after a diamond jubilee event. Getty -
The queen takes part in a spoof of James Bond alongside actor Daniel Craig for the opening ceremony of the London Olympics in 2012. AFP -
Queen Elizabeth greets singer Andrea Bocelli. Getty -
The queen meets Nicola Roberts, Cheryl Cole, Kimberley Walsh and Sarah Harding from pop group Girls Aloud. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth greets singer Kylie Minogue. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth receives an honorary Bafta from actor Kenneth Branagh at Windsor Castle. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth meets 'Star Wars' director George Lucas at Windsor Castle. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth speaks to British actor Christopher Lee. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth with actress Carey Mulligan and actor James Nesbitt. Getty -
She speaks to director Tom Hooper and actor Eddie Redmayne. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth greets singer Sir Rod Stewart during a reception for the Royal National Institute for the Blind at St James's Palace. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth watches Dame Helen Mirren perform a speech from Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'. Getty -
The queen with actress Gemma Arterton at Buckingham Palace. Getty -
Actress Angelina Jolie is presented with the Insignia of an Honorary Dame Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George by Queen Elizabeth. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth greets singer Annie Lennox at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth with 'Vogue' editor Anna Wintour. AP -
Queen Elizabeth meets British singer Liam Payne at Westminster Abbey. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth meets former England footballer David Beckham at Buckingham Palace. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth talks to British boxer Anthony Joshua. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth ll meets Liz Taylor and husband John Warner at a gala dinner in 1976 in Washington. Getty Images -
Perry Como, Frank Sinatra and Dionne Warwick serenaded the queen on her 1983 California visit and George Burns acted as master of ceremonies. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip join Nancy Reagan during a red carpet celebrity-filled event at 20th Century Fox studios on February 27, 1983 in Los Angeles, California. Getty Images
