In 1939, King George VI became the first reigning British monarch to set foot on American soil. His brother, Edward, had previously visited the US as a prince and had become a popular figure.

The purpose of George VI’s visit was to solidify an alliance in the shadow of an approaching world war, but it also was a chance for George to prove to himself that he was just as charming as his older brother

The American tour was a success. President Franklin Roosevelt and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt found the King and Queen to be warm and down-to-earth — certainly not too aristocratic to enjoy a few hot dogs at Roosevelt’s home in Hyde Park, New York. The King even asked for seconds.