Bill Clinton turned down tea with Queen Elizabeth II during 1997 U.K. visit
Jessica Schladebeck
Tea for two with Queen Elizabeth II was tea for too many for Bill Clinton.
The former U.S. president rejected a sit-down with the British monarch as well as dinner at the British Prime Minister’s official country house because he wanted to “be a tourist” and eat Indian food during his first visit to the U.K. with Tony Blair as leader.
In this June 4, 1994 file photo, Britain's Queen Elizabeth smiles, as she sits alongside President Bill Clinton at a dinner in the Guildhall in Portsmouth, England.
In this June 4, 1994 file photo, Britain's Queen Elizabeth smiles, as she sits alongside President Bill Clinton at a dinner in the Guildhall in Portsmouth, England. (Doug Mills/)
According to declassified documents obtained by the Guardian, Downing Street was “pulling out all the stops” for Clinton’s May 1997 trip. The documents — which include memos between Dominick Chilcott, assistant private secretary to the foreign secretary, and John Holmes, Blair’s principal private secretary — were recently made public by the U.K.’s National Archives.
“The Americans said that the President and Mrs. Clinton were very grateful for HM The Queen’s invitation to tea at the Palace, but would wish to decline politely,” Barton said in a May 21 briefing. He also noted at the time that the White House was not all “attracted to our suggestion of a dinner at Chequers,” which is the Prime Minister’s Buckingham retreat, located about 30 miles northwest of London.
Princess Elizabeth, shortly before being crowned Queen, and President Harry Truman (33rd president) sit for a picture in the Canadian Embassy in Washington, on Nov. 1, 1951. The Princess and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, played host to the Trumans.
Queen Elizabeth II and President Dwight D. Eisenhower (34th president) stand at Dais as their national anthems are played at St. Hubert RCAF station after their meeting for the official opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway on June 26, 1959.
Queen Elizabeth II and President John F. Kennedy (35th president) pose at Buckingham Palace in London on June 5, 1961. The Kennedys were dinner guests of the Queen.
U.S. President Richard Nixon (37th president) and British Prime Minister Edward Heath (c) meet with Queen Elizabeth II for lunch at Chequers, UK, on Oct. 3, 1970.
U.S. President Gerald Ford (38th president) dances with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in the State Dining Room at the White House, following a State Dinner in the queen's honor, on July 7, 1976.
President Jimmy Carter (39th president) and Queen Elizabeth II stand with French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing at Buckingham Palace in London, England in May 1977.
President Ronald Reagan (40th president) and Queen Elizabeth II raise their glasses in a toast during a state dinner at the M. H. de Young Museum in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park on Mar. 3, 1983.
President George H.W. Bush (41st president) and First Lady Mrs. Bush pose with Queen Elizabeth II on June 1, 1989 in London at Buckingham Palace, where the queen hosted a lunch for the first family.
U.S. President Bill Clinton (42nd president) and First Lady Hillary (l) talk with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in London on Dec. 14, 2000.
U.S. President George W. Bush (43rd president) and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II arrive on the North Portico of the White House for a formal white-tie state dinner on May 7, 2007 in Washington, DC. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh are on a six day trip to the United States.
U.S. President Barack Obama (44th president) and Queen Elizabeth II are pictured during a State Banquet in Buckingham Palace on May 24, 2011 in London, England. The 44th President of the United States and First Lady Michelle are in the UK for a two-day State Visit at the invitation of Her Majesty.
U.S. President Donald Trump (45th president) is greeted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on June 3, 2019 in London, England during the president's three-day state visit.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II with U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden in the Grand Corridor at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England on Sunday, June 13, 2021. The queen hosted the president and first lady Jill Biden at Windsor Castle, her royal residence near London. Biden flew to London after wrapping up his participation in a three-day summit of leaders of the world's wealthy democracies in Cornwall, in southwestern England.
Despite turning down Queen Elizabeth, Clinton never did get his Indian food. Instead, the Blairs dined with the First couple at the French restaurant Le Pont de la Tour near Tower Bridge, where the group spent $406.78 on plates including grilled sole, halibut, wild salmon and rabbit.
At the time of the visit, Blair had just kicked off his 10-year tenure as Prime Minister. He believed the trip would be crucial for “establishing a good working relationship” between the two world leaders.
The former president had also already previously met the queen.
