World Tour (1931-32) Revisited: Charlie spends "a most delightful day" with British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald, Feb. 21st, 1931

Charlie found the Prime Minister to be "so human, so charming...we chatted about all sorts of things."*

Villagers who had gathered outside the gate at Chequers (MacDonald's country home), talked of how they saw Charlie make the Prime Minister laugh by demonstrating his famous walk.

Charlie later told a reporter from The Observer that MacDonald played a little joke on him during his visit: "I happened to remark that I was very fond of book bindings. The Prime Minister pointed to a special shelf, and, with a twinkle in his eye, said, 'There are some very beautiful bindings there, have a look at them.' I went to the shelf and found they were imitation bindings masking the panel of a door. And thus the Prime Minister played on me a capital little joke."

Despite this seemingly pleasant day, Charlie grew to dislike the Prime Minister because of his political views, and a month later refused an invitation to a dinner MacDonald had arranged in his honor at the House of Commons.

*The Observer, Feb. 22nd, 1931