This may seem paradoxical. In a country that led a revolution against the “tyranny” of King George III, Elizabeth II was one of the most admired women in the United States. And if the sovereign who died on Thursday has almost always enjoyed a good image in American opinion, her popularity has grown in the years following Diana’s death.
In 70 years of reign, Elizabeth II has risen 52 times in the top 10 of the Gallup Institute of the most admired women. A record that places her far ahead of the queen of TV Oprah (33) or Hillary Clinton (29). Among men, only Billy Graham, a white pastor who supported Martin Luther King, did better (61).
Despite criticism of Meghan Markle’s royal family, nearly seven in 10 Americans last year had a positive image of a queen carefully keeping her opinions to herself, according to the YouGov Barometer. This is twice as much as the one who was Prince Charles until Thursday. His more clear-cut positions, particularly on the climate, made the new king more popular with Democrats than with Republicans.
Courted by US Presidents
“Princess Lilybet” makes the cover of Time Magazine – with a painted portrait – in 1929, at the age of three, with golden curls and a pensive expression.
His accession to the throne in 1953 did not fascinate America. Two out of three people say they have a good image of the new sovereign, considered “kind, sincere and honest”, but the same proportion say they are not interested in her coronation.
American presidents, on the other hand, all woo her. She will meet 13 – out of 46 in American history. Elizabeth II gives her recipe for scones to Eisenhower, dances with Gerald Ford at the White House for the United States Bicentennial in 1976, and rides horses with Ronald Reagan at Windsor Palace.
The tenants of the White House see in these meetings the ultimate validation of their power, explain to New York Times historian Alvin Felzenberg, who worked for the Bush father and son administrations: “You have really succeeded (in life) when you welcome the queen into your home (…) and she speaks to the American people about the connection between the two country. »
Because if the United Kingdom and its former colony clashed during the war of independence of the United States between 1775 and 1783, then during the conflict of 1812, the new nation “quickly understood that it would need to maintain strong ties (with London) for diplomatic and security reasons,” written by Arianne Chernock, professor of history at Boston University. This pragmatism will then be replaced by the famous “special relationship” forged by the Second World War.
After Diana
In the 1980s, Elizabeth II was eclipsed by a sun named Diana. America raves about the Princess of Wales, a cool, glam whirlwind who dances with John Travolta at the White House in 1985.
But the fairy tale is cut short with the infidelities of Prince Charles which lead to the couple’s divorce, with a complicated Diana-Elisabeth relationship. Then to the tragedy, under the Alma bridge, on August 31, 1997, when Diana died in a crash with her companion Dodi Fayed, their vehicle chased by the paparazzi.
The queen’s popularity rating then hit a low in the United States, at 47% favorable opinions. But Tony Blair convinces the queen to show compassion and leave Balmoral to come and pay homage to Lady Di, and a speech from Elisabeth allows her to reverse the trend, first in the United Kingdom, then across the Atlantic. Just under 18 months later, in December 1998, it returned to its highs. American presidents – Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump, Biden – will parade. Elisabeth II will forever remain the “queen of the world”.