Trump raised annexation of Canada with author of new book on royals

From left, Princess Anne, Princess Beatrice, Prince Andrew, Camilla Duchess of Cambridge, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, Meghan Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Kate Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William attend the annual Trooping the Colour Ceremony in London, Saturday, June 9, 2018.(AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Afua Hagan is a contributor to CTVNews.ca, focusing on the Royal Family. Based in London and Accra, Hagan is a regular commentator on the royals across a variety of international outlets, and is a leading voice on diversity in Britain.

In an age of royal tell-alls, with a rash of books coming down the pipeline to eulogize Queen Elizabeth II in what would have been her 100^th year, there’s significant competition to cut through the noise.

Robert Hardman’s new biography, Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story, aims to do exactly that, by seemingly offering not just fresh revelations, but a reframing of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign that the publishers hope is timely and quietly radical.

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Hardman uses information from palace insiders, private documents, and unheard stories to reveal a monarch who was more than just a figurehead.

This monarch played an active and thoughtful role in both the British state and the Royal Family.

In Hardman’s view, the monarchy’s strength lies in persistence as an institution rather than in the brilliance of an individual.

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This becomes evident in conversations Hardman had with U.S. President Donald Trump about his wish to annex Canada.

It seems that Trump’s respect for King Charles III may have out paid to that plan. Hardman and Trump met in Florida in December 2025 where they discussed the United States place in NATO as well as Trump’s thoughts on Canada.

“I replied that this would probably destroy NATO and, while we were on the subject, could he please leave Canada alone too,” Hardman wrote.

Would ‘make the King of Canada unhappy’

“It had been a staunch ally through history, a gallant D-Day partner and attempting to acquire it would undoubtedly make the King of Canada unhappy. Do they still recognize the King? Or have they stopped that?” Trump reportedly asked, and went on to say, “The problem is some guy drew that straight line to make a border. He should just have drawn it fifty miles further north and then there wouldn’t be a problem.”

Hardman continued, “This was the closest I had heard to an acknowledgement that, as long as Canada had the King, Mr. Trump was not going to usurp him. There could be no doubting the esteem in which the late Queen was held by Mr. Trump. He had also voiced the highest praise for her son and heir, who appeared to be the primary reason why he was no longer sabre-rattling at Canada.”

What stands out here is how the book moves the discussion of royal “soft power” into a fresh perspective.

The Queen had been mastering this kind of subtle influence long before it became a common term in politics. She did so through careful diplomacy meaningful symbols, and a rare skill to gain respect without needing to assert herself.

Leaders rose and fell. Governments changed. Public opinion shifted back and forth. Yet Elizabeth stayed the same – steady, calm, and always there.

Her presence meant something. It gave not just the U.K. but also the entire Commonwealth a feeling of stability during uncertain times. As debates around the future of the monarchy carry on, in nations thinking about their bond with the Crown, Hardman’s story acts as both a reminder and a caution.

Queen on wedding tiara: ‘It’s not a toy’

This book also explores themes of authority, control, and moments of firm involvement. Take the much-discussed clash over Meghan Markle’s wedding tiara.

Compared to how Prince Harry tells it in his memoir Spare, Hardman’s version of events sheds a different light on things. The book points to sources claiming that the friction wasn’t just about palace rules – they imply that there was an attitude that some saw as entitled.

The Queen stepped in and gave a firm reminder to those involved: “It’s not a toy.” It’s a simple statement, but it reflects how Elizabeth II treated her role as monarch. She didn’t see objects, rituals, or even jewels as things for her personal enjoyment. Instead, she treated them as part of the institution rooted in tradition, protocol, and significance.

Allegations of altercation between Andrew, aide

The same idea appears in another shocking claim: accusations of then-Prince Andrew getting into a physical fight with a high-ranking aide.

This happened after the aide told him he couldn’t host an event at Buckingham Palace. According to someone familiar with the event, the aide stated that Andrew “needed to wait his turn like everyone else,” which led to more than just angry words.

It escalated to an actual physical altercation. It seems that this wasn’t the only time that Andrew’s bad behaviour was on display.

For the book Hardman interviewed attendees at an Investiture who told him, “We were walking across the quadrangle and suddenly this blue Bentley appeared and did a handbrake turn, throwing up gravel over other people’s cars. Someone said, ‘I bet that’s Andrew.’ And sure enough it was. And everyone was talking about it as we went in because it had just spoiled things. He lived at Buckingham Palace, whereas we were just the little people going in there for our big day. And he just had to make it all about him.”

Hardman also describes another event at Windsor, where staff from the Royal Mews were training several of the Queen’s horses on the estate.

“One had waved a firm hand at an approaching car which was revving its engine aggressively,” Hardman wrote. “It pulled alongside and, through the window, the Duke of York bellowed at her: ‘Who the f*** do you think you are?’ He then demanded her name. What’s more, he even took it up with the Queen – in person.”

Household dealing with egos

These stories stand out not just because of what it says about Andrew but because of what it shows about the Queen’s world. Instead of the image of smooth royal order, Hardman describes a household dealing with egos, conflicts, and clashing expectations. The monarchy isn’t a symbol – it works as a system facing constant internal stress.

At the heart of it all was a woman whose key talent might have been taking on that stress and keeping it from shaking the foundation of the institution.

Hardman’s depiction of Queen Elizabeth II focuses on her balancing act between personal ties and royal duty as well as between private emotions and public obligations. This is evermore present when Hardman writes about the Queen’s last months, when it seemed she knew that the end was coming.

“The monarch… returned to Windsor for the final round of summer engagements ahead of her summer holiday at Balmoral. Though unspoken, many felt a sense of final farewell this time. Perhaps the Queen did too,” Hardman writes.

“‘She was so brave,’ said an official who saw her regularly over the summer. ‘You could tell she was having a lot of treatment from the bruising on her hands where the cannula had gone in. Her hands seemed permanently bruised.’ She went to see her fell pony, Emma, and her other horses for one last time. On the eve of her departure, she held the last round of audiences and a Privy Council meeting.

“‘We had a private chat at the end of it,’ said one of those present. ‘I felt a bit emotional when I left because, well, it just felt to me like a goodbye. She had some very clear messages about how she thought things would go in the future. Very clear, indeed!’”

Queen’s final wish for great-grandchildren

In her final days she also wanted as many of her great-grandchildren around her as possible. Hardman writes, “The Queen wanted all the great-grandchildren to come up to Balmoral at some point over that summer, even if the Sussexes might not be able to make it. ‘She wanted to make sure that they all had a really happy memory of her,’ explained a friend of the family.”

Despite all the dramas that could have surrounded this reunion, it was something the Queen was keen on in her final days.

These tales aren’t random occurrences. They show the challenges the monarchy deals with and the systems it relies on, both official and behind the scenes, to keep going. Seen this way, Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story isn’t just a life story.

It serves as a guide. King Charles III must manage his reign while dealing with growing scrutiny and shifting expectations.

That path is both a legacy he has received and a test to navigate. Prince William, on the other hand, can learn from this example of leadership that has helped keep the monarchy strong in the past and may shape the institution he will lead one day.

Hardman’s most notable contribution might be showing us that behind the calm and steady image was a queen who made tough and thoughtful decisions.

She recognized that the Crown’s future depended less on flashy displays and more on careful management. And who, in moments both public and private, never lost sight of what it represented. “It’s not a toy.” It never was.