King Charles visits Trump: what are the potential pitfalls for the monarch? | King Charles III
1. Challenging visit with unprecedented difficulty
Contemporary political historian Anthony Seldon wrote that the visit of 27–30 April was “clearly more than complicated” and that Henry VI. He said it had a “degree of difficulty” greater than any official visit since the first state visit by a reigning monarch, when George met with Franklin D. Roosevelt to persuade him to enter the second world war. “Because you’re dealing with someone who is unpredictable,” Seldon said.
He said relations with the US had gone through difficult times before: Lyndon B Johnson and Harold Wilson, Richard Nixon and Edward Heath, Dwight Eisenhower and Anthony Eden; the second resulted in the overthrow of Eden after the Suez crisis. “So it’s a tense moment. But there have been tense moments in the past. And it will be fascinating to see how the monarch plays this out.”
Seldon said the president would operate “within the trolley line,” giving the king “more leeway” as Charles was “probably the only person in the world whom Trump would not want to offend.”
Seldon added that “on the most important visit in the King’s life,” Charles “could either be very careful and safe, or he could remind the American people of the foundation on which the United States was founded 250 years ago.” He said the values shared with the United Kingdom were those of a country moving away from arbitrary power based on the separation of powers and with a bill of rights at its heart; individual rights, limited government, rule of law, enlightenment values. Not to mention a shared history stretching back centuries.
Prof Philip Murphy, director of history and politics at the University of London, said the risk was more important for Keir Starmer than for Charles, especially after the Peter Mandelson and Olly Robbins row. “This is another aspect of the desperate desire to court Trump and take really significant risks,” he said.
“They risked their head of state’s prestige, they jeopardized their dignity by bringing them into contact with Trump, who is both a highly controversial and very difficult person to deal with publicly,” Murphy said.
2. King’s security ‘taken very seriously’
On Sunday, after Donald and Melania Trump were evacuated from a dinner attended by White House correspondents on Saturday evening when it was interrupted by gunfire, a minister said Charles’ visit would “take appropriate security measures in relation to the risk.”
The prime minister’s chief secretary, Darren Jones, told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg program on Sunday that further discussions about the king’s security would take place on Sunday. Asked if this meant there would be further escalation of what was already planned, he said: “Appropriate safety measures will be taken in relation to the risk.”
Jones told Trevor Phillips on Sky News on Sunday Morning: “As you can imagine, the government and the palace take Her Majesty’s security very seriously and extensive discussions have already been taking place and this will continue over the coming days.”
A Buckingham Palace spokesman confirmed talks were ongoing, saying: “A number of discussions will be held throughout the day with our US counterparts and relevant teams to discuss the extent to which the events of Saturday evening will or may not impact the operational planning of the visit.”
3. The King’s most important speech ever
Charles’ speech to a joint session of Congress will be broadcast on international television and will likely be his most important speech to date. According to Buckingham Palace, it will “recognise the challenges our countries face”. But Trump is notoriously easily offended.
Queen Elizabeth II Addressing Congress in 1991, Elizabeth said that power born “out of the barrel of a gun” never grows “nor for very long” and talked about the importance of NATO; How Europe can become more open, liberal and compatible with the United States; and the importance and value of both countries’ “rich ethnic and cultural diversity.”
“This will now be perceived as a direct attack on Trump,” Murphy said. “I’m sure what Charles will do is try to appeal to the American people in a way that goes beyond Trump.” He could emphasize shared values: belief in freedom, belief in democracy, a long history of friendship. “We say almost without saying that Trump is here, but Trump is going to go, and there are longer lasting cultural and political affinities there. He can do that in a way that a political leader can’t. He can make the power of the relationship seem like it’s beyond politics.”
Seldon said Charles didn’t even need to mention Trump, leaving it up to individuals “whether the current CEO of the United States has aligned himself with those values.”
“According to me [the address] It can be so indirect and done so skillfully, gently, politely and respectfully. Correct speech delivered with respect can help. “And it can certainly help remind the American people of the deep, profound ties—the intellectual, human ties—that unite both countries.”
4. Will private remain private?
No doubt with Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s ugly humiliation in mind, Charles’ Oval Office bilateral meeting was arranged to take place privately, followed by a hand-holding, grinning photo op. The king, head of state and armed forces, walks in knowing that Trump has publicly insulted the UK prime minister and mocked the UK military. And Charles is also the king of Canada, which is subject to severe provocations from Trump.
No matter how the King says these things, if he really says them, he needs to be wary of a president who shoots from the hip, likes to talk to cameras and post on Truth Social. Murphy said: “He [Charles] Pay close attention to what they say, because it can easily be called back. “I don’t think Trump has a strong sense of what’s private and what’s not.”
5. Epstein’s ghost and the Sussexes’ shadow
Following the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on suspicion of misconduct in public office for his connection to Jeffrey Epstein, US congressman Ro Khanna and Sky Roberts, sister of the late Virginia Giuffre, called on Charles, and Camilla in particular, to meet Epstein survivors.
A palace source said such a meeting would not be held on the grounds that it could jeopardize police investigations and potential legal action and “could harm the survivors’ quest for justice”.
If there are protests, the king and queen will be protected from them. The itinerary offers little opportunity for the couple to face the public. A visit to a “block party” in Virginia will probably be the only visit.
Murphy said: “There will obviously be some commentary in the press. There may be some sort of public protest about it. If it gets around in the crowd people might call out.”
But many Americans may have only recently seen Charles discussed in the media in the context of Epstein or the Sussexes. “So there’s talk of risks, but there’s a benefit there for him as well. Andrew, after a really tough time with Harry and Meghan, can show that he can play a really valuable role, a role that transcends politics,” Murphy said.
What about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who are on the west coast of Montecito, almost 3,000 miles from Washington, D.C.? It was learned that no father-son reunion was planned during the visit. The best the Palace can hope for is for Harry to have no ill-timed, soul-baring interviews, especially about his royal upbringing.
