“quite a cozy old thing”.
Any guesses as to who Mary Soames, daughter of Winston Churchill, could be referring to here, when she accompanied her father on an official trip? It’s none other than William Lyon Mackenzie King, the longest serving Prime Minister of Canada (whose story is told rather brilliantly in Allan Levine’s King)
Ah, diplomatic meetings. They can be a cause for joy and celebration, marking a landmark in relations between world leaders. Or, you know, they can just be unintentionally hilarious, as our list of top 5 diplomatic meetings proves.
1) Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher pull some shapes
They were known to be great political allies, but their friendship extended beyond a commitment to neo-liberalism. At Reagan’s 1984 inaugural ball at the White House, Reagan and Thatcher took to the dancefloor, looks of delight upon both their faces. What would Denis and Nancy say?
2) Tony Blair and George Bush get special
The special relationship was officially sealed when Tony Blair and George Bush were pictured walking Bush’s dog at Camp David in 2001. Luckily, as two of the most powerful men in the world, they had important things on their mind. The two, and their spouses, bonded over a joint decision to watch comedy film Meet the Parents. Yes, really.
3) Obama, Cameron and Merkel watch the Champions League Final
White House photographer David Souza scored a coup when he took one of the most parodied political photos of recent times. As Barack Obama, David Cameron, Angela Merkel, José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, and others watched the Champions League Final between Chelsea and Bayern Munich, Cameron went in for an impromptu celebration. Merkel’s face says it all.
4) The Obamas meet the Windsors
A ceremony at Buckingham Palace, welcoming President Obama to Britain nearly ended in tears, in May 2011. No, Prince Philip didn’t fart again. The wind was just incredibly strong. According to the Telegraph ‘During the ceremony, where the president inspected a guard of honour, one powerful gust also troubled the royals and the Queen and Duchess of Cornwall had to hang on to their hats’.
5) Paul Keating touches the Queen
Rules surrounding meeting the Queen are, understandably, very strict, and Paul Keating, then Prime Minister of Australia, made a schoolboy error when he was photographed with his arm around the Queen. Times have changed since 1992, as the Queen is alleged to have initiated the contact which saw Michelle Obama photographed with her arm around Her Majesty.
