The Unexpected American President Queen Elizabeth Had A Close Friendship With

September 2022 will forever be marked in the history books as the time in which the world mourned Queen Elizabeth II's death. As nations remember the queen for her 70-year reign — the longest in British history — stories are being brought to light that those may have not known before. For instance, the queen made the humble notion to return a corresponding letter to a young girl on one of her final days. During those last moments before Her Majesty died at 96, she was reportedly spending time with her immediate family, and was even having conversations about pressing current events like the war in Ukraine.

It's no wonder, then, that international figures — like President Joe Biden and former president Barack Obama — have paid tribute to the queen since her passing. While she was not a political leader, Queen Elizabeth II regularly met with prime ministers, world leaders, and subtly signaled her support on the international stage. Meeting with 13 U.S. presidents throughout her lifetime, the late monarch was a staple amid the world's politicians, and her influence knew no bounds. 

But there's one former U.S. president that seemed to enjoy a friendship with the queen perhaps more than any other president, and his granddaughter shedding light on their bond.  

Queen Elizabeth II reigned while more than a dozen U.S. presidents were elected, and some may be surprised to learn that she was closest with Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was in office from 1953 until 1961.

Not only is there evidence that Her Majesty famously gifted President Eisenhower a typewritten copy of her special drop scones recipe (tasting similar to pancakes), dating back to 1960 (via the New York Post), but Sky News recently sat down with Susan Eisenhower, the 34th president's granddaughter, to review mementos of the friendship between the two. Susan told the British news outlet that the queen often wrote handwritten notes to Eisenhower, but that the personal correspondence had nothing on their in-person visits.

According to Susan, when Queen Elizabeth II was scheduled to visit America for the first time in 1957, the Eisenhower family insisted that she stay at the White House instead of Blair House, the building located across the street where foreign dignitaries typically stay. "My grandparents insisted she be treated like a guest of the family, and she stayed in a room that was often used by out-of-town house guests," Susan told Sky News. 

USA Today also confirmed the closeness of their friendship, reporting that the queen gave Eisenhower multiple gifts over the years, including a china vase embalmed with British Commonwealth and its remaining countries, to which Eisenhower replied, "It is a piece that will be a valued heirloom of the Eisenhower family for many generations to come" in a letter.