When the Queen danced with former Ghana President Nkrumah (VIDEO)

The moment the Queen famously danced with the President Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana in 1961 has been revisited in a new documentary about the monarch's passion for the Commonwealth.

In a new BBC documentary The Queen: Her Commonwealth Story, which aired this evening, Ghanaian historian Nat Nunoo-Amarteifio revealed to presenter George Alagiah just how significant the moment was.

'Here is our president being respected enough by the Queen of England for her to put her arms around him,' he said.

'She was fairly graceful. She danced like a white woman, but a good white woman.'

The monarch famously danced the foxtrot with Ghana's first president as a symbolic act, after he appeared ready to reject the Commonwealth in favour of links with Soviet Russia.

He added: 'It was a gallant decision [for her to come to Ghana] because the Commonwealth could have easily become an almost white-only club.

'It was vitally important that Nkrumah stayed in to cement the loyalty of Ghana to the whole Commonwealth idea.'

The monarch also visited the President’s old school where the Ghanaian historian was a student there at the time.

The Queen had been meant to go to Ghana earlier than her 1961 trip, but had fallen pregnant with Prince Andrew something which she made light of much to the delight of her fellow guests during a dinner in honour of her visit.

'It was a great disappointment to me when my visit had to be postponed two years ago. I'm sure in due course my son Andrew will be able to come here himself.'

Ghanaian historian Nat Nunoo-Amarteifio reveals how Her Majesty was uniquely placed for this delicate diplomacy

She continued to the sound of laughter and applause: 'And perhaps make amends for the inconvenience he caused.'

In the documentary, Princess Anne adds that her mother has a 'virtually unique' ability to deal with world leaders as she's become 'an honorary man'.

'People get used to the fact that maybe you can have a conversation about things which they otherwise wouldn't talk to women about.'

For instance, the Queen was speaking to prime ministers about the major issues facing the country at their weekly audiences, long before the UK had its first female head of state.

She has seen 13 prime ministers enter and leave office, starting with her mentor Sir Winston Churchill in 1952.

Theresa May is only the second female Prime Minister after Margaret Thatcher from 1979 to 1990

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE QUEEN VISITED GHANA?

The Queen visited Ghana in 1961, four years after they became independent from Britain.

Iconic images show the monarch dancing with Ghana’s President Kwame Nkrumah.

By 1961, Nkrumah was increasingly authoritarian and stoked anti-British feeling. There were reports of bomb explosions in Accra, but the Queen was 'indignant' at suggestions she should not go, feeling it would show a 'lack of moral fibre'.

Socialist Nkrumah had written about moving Ghana closer to Russia and away from Britain, as he believed Russia best represented the interests of Africans.

Against the advice of the government, the Queen travelled to Ghana in 1961 in the hope the positive publicity of her visit would be a boost for the Commonwealth.

Her foxtrot with the president was significant as it was implied that in return for the photo opportunity, dancing with the Queen, he would 'return to the fold' and turn his back with the Soviets.

The Queen's visit was a resounding success. Nkrumah was captivated by the monarch, later presenting Prince Charles with his one of his most prized boyhood gifts of a bow and quiver full of arrows.