Kissinger's enduring friendship with Queen Elizabeth II: Late monarch gave America's premier diplomat an honorary knighthood in 1995 and he paid tribute to her as a 'great sovereign who ennobled her society' when she died

Henry Kissinger had a long and enduring friendship with Queen Elizabeth that began during his time working in the White House and lasted until her passing in 2022. 

That friendship culminated in June 1995 when Kissinger, who died Wednesday at his home in Connecticut at the age of 100, became one of the few non-British citizens to receive an honorary knighthood. 

'It's for his long-term commitment to Anglo-American relations and we felt he should be honored for his contribution,' a Foreign Office spokesperson said at the time. 

While at the time of the Queen's death, Kissinger referred to her majesty as a 'great sovereign who ennobled society' in a letter. 

Despite the knighthood, Kissinger was not a 'Sir' nor did have to kneel before her majesty, as is the convention. Honorary knighthoods are awarded to non-British nationals.

His official appointment was as Honorary Knight Commander in the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, which allowed him to include the initials KCMG at the end of his name. 

Queen Elizabeth II pictured with the Duke of Edinburgh, alongside Nancy and Henry Kissinger at the White House in 1976

At the time of this 1991 meeting between her majesty and Kissinger, he told the Washington Post that the royal decides on the conversation topic 

The day after he was given his honorary knighthood, Kissinger was a guest of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at Royal Ascot

 Kissinger first met the Queen in July 1976 when her majesty and Prince Philip were guests of honor at a state dinner hosted by President Gerald Ford at the White House. 

During a reception, Kissinger, her majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh were pictured joking together. 

In 1991, when her majesty returned to the US for a state visit, Kissinger told the Washington Post about the protocol when speaking to heads of state at functions such as these. 

'The protocol is that she picks the subject,' he said. 

Kissinger was also a fan of King Charles III. A 1970 memo showed that President Richard Nixon and Kissinger worked to have Charles visit in 1970, a visit that 'could do an enormous amount of good for US-British relations,' the note read. 

In 1997, Kissinger and his wife, Nancy, were among those who were present Princess Diana's funeral. 

Today, UK foreign minister David Cameron called Kissinger a 'great statesman' who will be 'greatly missed.' While former prime minister Tony Blair paid tribute to 'an artist' of diplomacy.

'Most saddened to hear that Henry Kissinger has passed away,' Cameron wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

'He was a great statesman and a deeply respected diplomat who will be greatly missed on the world stage.'

Kissinger pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at the Nixon Library upon her passing in 2022

The note of condolence that Kissinger wrote in 2022 

In a memo to Kissinger, President Richard Nixon called Charles the 'real gem' in the family 

The former prime minister said he had met Kissinger 'a few months ago', when the pair discussed Iran, Russia and the war in Ukraine.

'Even at 100, his wisdom and thoughtfulness shone through,' Cameron added.

'There is no one like Henry Kissinger,' Blair said.

'I was in awe of him. If it is possible for diplomacy, at its highest level, to be a form of art, Henry was an artist.'

Blair defended Kissinger's approach to world affairs.

'Like anyone who has confronted the most difficult problems of international politics, he was criticized at times, even denounced,' he said.