He Was Charming: The Queen of Great Britain Recalls Meeting Yuri Gagarin

The Queen of Great Britain, Elizabeth II, shared her memories of meeting Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin about 60 years ago at a scientific forum in London.

“He was charming. And I think the fact that he was the first astronaut made him all the more charming,” the Queen remarked.

This response came in answer to a question posed by British astronaut and Honorary Research Fellow at University College London, Maggie Aderin-Pocock. She noted that the Soviet cosmonaut played an important role in her choice of profession.

It is worth mentioning that Yuri Gagarin visited Great Britain from June 11 to 15, 1961. During his trip, he met with Prime Minister Harold Macmillan and attended a dinner at Buckingham Palace at the invitation of Elizabeth II.