Between 9th and 12th June 1939, King George VI of England and his spouse Elizabeth sojourned as guests at Hyde Park, Dutchess County, the New York residence of the US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in what was the first official visit by the British monarchy on American soil since colonial times. Far from being a mere footnote in history, this meeting is imbued with deep political significance, coming at a time when Europe is poised to enter war.