Why Donald Trump Has Queen Elizabeth’s Final Portrait in His Mar-a-Lago Home

Somewhere inside Mar-a-Lago, there’s a portrait that stands out—not because of its size or placement, but because of what it represents.

It’s a painting of Queen Elizabeth II. Not just any painting, but a reproduction of the final official portrait taken of her before she died in September 2022.

And according to those familiar with the story, Donald Trump didn’t just accept the piece—he wanted it.

A Portrait With a Personal Meaning

The portrait was created by Basia Kaczmarowska-Hamilton just four months before the Queen’s death. It was originally meant to be sent to London’s Polish Institute, but the Queen reportedly liked it so much that she asked to keep it.

The original still hangs in Windsor Castle today. A reproduction was later sent to the Institute—and another eventually made its way to Trump.

In his book Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story, royal biographer Robert Hardman writes that Trump requested the portrait as a “permanent reminder” of the monarch. He didn’t just tuck it away either—he gave it a prominent spot in his dining room, hanging above a painting of a medieval ship.

And he was very specific about how he wanted it displayed.

“She was so great. I wanted to hang her picture in a room where there is no one else on the wall,”

A Fascination That Went Beyond Protocol

That line alone says a lot about how Trump saw the Queen.

His admiration for her has never really been in doubt. During his presidency, he met her twice—once in 2018 at Windsor Castle, and again in 2019 during a full state visit at Buckingham Palace. For Trump, those moments seemed to carry weight beyond diplomacy.

Fiona Hill wrote in her 2021 book that Trump was “awestruck” by the Queen. In her words, meeting Elizabeth II was more than just part of the job—it was something he saw as proof that he had reached a certain level in life.

When the Queen passed away, Trump didn’t hold back in his tribute.

“What a grand and beautiful lady she was—there was nobody like her!”

He also said: “Our thoughts and prayers will remain with the great people of the United Kingdom as you honor her most meaningful life and exceptional service to the people. May God bless the Queen, may she reign forever in our hearts, and may God hold her and Prince Philip in abiding care.”

He added that he and Melania would “always cherish our time together with the Queen, and never forget Her Majesty’s generous friendship, great wisdom, and wonderful sense of humor.”

What the Queen Reportedly Thought

But while Trump’s feelings toward the Queen are easy to trace, the reverse is a bit more complicated.

In the 2024 documentary The Cowboy and the Queen, her friend Monty Roberts claimed that she “didn’t like” Trump. Around the same time, author Craig Brown made a similar point in his biography A Voyage Around the Queen, describing a private moment after one of Trump’s visits.

“A few weeks after President Trump’s visit, for instance, she confided in one lunch guest that she found him ‘very rude,’”

He continued: “She particularly disliked the way he couldn’t stop looking over her shoulder, as though in search of others more interesting.”

It’s a sharp contrast—on one hand, a former president who holds onto her image as something meaningful; on the other, reports that suggest she wasn’t particularly impressed by him.

From the Queen to the King

Still, Trump’s interest in the royal family hasn’t faded. He’s also spoken positively about King Charles III and has said he looks forward to spending time with him during an upcoming visit.

“I look forward to spending time with the King, whom I greatly respect… It will be TERRIFIC!”

That visit is expected to happen despite ongoing tensions between Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, which adds another layer to the situation.

But politics aside, that portrait in Mar-a-Lago quietly tells its own story.

It’s not just about history or status. It’s about how Trump chose to remember Queen Elizabeth II—someone he clearly admired, even if the feeling may not have gone both ways.

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