119. History of the Resolute Desk

The Resolute Desk is arguably the most famous desk in the world. It is certainly the most iconic of the six desks that have been used by sitting presidents in the Oval Office. Stewart McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association, traveled to England in order to learn more about the history of the desk which was gifted in 1880 to President Rutherford B. Hayes from Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom as a sign of goodwill between the two nations. Though it was used throughout the White House since President Hayes, the desk was first used in the Oval Office by President John F. Kennedy. It has also been used by Presidents Carter, Reagan, and every president since George W. Bush.

The episode begins at The Historic Dockyard Chatham where the British ship HMS Resolute was docked before it was decommissioned, broken apart, and its timbers turned into various items - including a desk for the U.S. President. Almost 30 years earlier, the HMS Resolute had been part of an Arctic rescue expedition in search of a British explorer who went missing on the hunt for the Northwest Passage to Asia. The rescue expedition got stuck in the ice, and after a few seasons, the crew abandoned the ships. It was an American vessel that eventually found the Resolute which had broken free of the ice. The U.S. Congress appropriated the funds to refit the ship and return it to England's Queen Victoria.

Stewart and Paul Barnard, Deputy Chief Executive at The Historic Dockyard Chatham, tour the dockyard and climb aboard a Victorian naval sloop called the HMS Gannet, a similar ship that was introduced into service around the time the Resolute was decommissioned. As we'll learn, the Gannet also has its own tie-in to White House history. Then they visit the space that was once the shop where the Resolute Desk was built. Stewart and Paul are joined by Paul Wright, Interpretation Officer at The Historic Dockyard Chatham, who talks about the skills and craftsmanship of the people who once worked in the yard.

Then Stewart heads to the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London and meets with Senior Curator, Dr. Claire Warrior, for a special look at several items not on public display, including an actual piece of wood from the HMS Resolute, as well as proposed designs for the famous desk. During his State Visit in April 2026, King Charles III gifted President Donald Trump a framed, high-quality reproduction of these same plans.

Join us for this fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the most recognizable desk in the world.