Biden says Queen asked about Putin and Xi
US President Joe Biden said Britain's Queen Elizabeth reminded him of his mother and that she had asked about China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin as they had tea at Windsor Castle on Sunday.
Biden lavished praise on the 95-year-old British monarch after their private meeting which came towards the end of the Band of Seven leaders' summit of which he needed concerted action on China and before a gathering with Putin on Wednesday.
"I don't believe she'd be insulted but she reminded me of my mother, the appearance of her and just the generosity," Biden, 78, told reporters shortly before departing London.
"She's extremely gracious, that's not surprising, but we'd an excellent talk. She wanted to know what both leaders that I -- the main one I'm about to meet with, Mr Putin, and she wished to find out about Xi Jinping, and we had an extended talk."
The monarch, attired in a bright pink floral outfit, had warmly greeted Biden and his wife Jill in the Quadrangle of the castle, home to the royal family for nearly 1,000 years, where these were treated to a taste of British pomp.
The president inspected a Guard of Honour formed of The Queen's Company First Battalion Grenadier Guards, which gave a Royal Salute, and the U.S. National Anthem was played before they entered the castle for tea.
"I said I wish we could stay longer, maybe we're able to contain the cars up a minute, and stuff. Anyway, she was very gracious," said the president who confirmed he had invited the monarch to the White House.
The queen had already met the Bidens on the visit to Britain. She hosted a reception for leaders of the Band of Seven rich nations and their spouses on Friday night in the southwestern English county of Cornwall where in fact the three-day summit was held.
Ahead of that, Jill Biden said they had been looking forward to meeting the queen and that it had been an exciting the main visit for them.
