Queen Elizabeth II Featured in New Book and Historic Letter to Czech President Havel

British satirist Craig Brown released a new book on Queen Elizabeth II that departs from conventional biography, stitching together brief chapters drawn from the memories of people who met the monarch. The work mixes anecdotes—such as Phil Collins whistling a movie tune after meeting the queen and former First Lady Michelle Obama’s nervousness in her presence—with reflections on the "royal effect" and dream imagery reported by those close to the sovereign.

A handwritten letter from the queen, dated April 1996, was recently uncovered in the Czech presidential archives. The note, sent after her state visit to Prague and Brno with Prince Philip, praised President Václav Havel and expressed gratitude for the hospitality, ending with a friendly signature "your good friend Elizabeth." Archivist Lucie Večerníková found the document while preparing an exhibition for International Archives Day, highlighting the warmth of Czech‑British relations in the 1990s.