King Charles to meet Donald Trump off camera to avoid awkwardness | King Charles III
King Charles will be spared the possible humiliation of a public rebuke from Donald Trump this week after the White House decided any meeting between the two men should be kept off camera.
British officials have pressed for an Oval Office meeting between the monarch and the US president to be kept off camera, for fear of a repeat of scenes in which Trump berates Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in front of the world press.
Sources involved in planning the trip say Charles will pose for cameras at the start of Tuesday’s important bilateral meeting, but will not be filmed talking about anything important.
Ministers have pinned high hopes on the state visit, which they hope will help repair relations between the two countries during one of their most difficult periods in decades.
As Trump threatens retaliation for criticism of the Iran war by prime minister Keir Starmer and chancellor Rachel Reeves, the government hopes the king can dissuade the president from his more aggressive statements.
In line with regular state visit practice, the king will also attend several other events with Trump, where he will be accompanied by palace officials and foreign minister Yvette Cooper.
Diplomatic sources suggested Cooper, who had previously traveled to the Vatican with the monarch, was prepared to step in to deal with any awkward moments if necessary.
“He is also ready to step in as a human shield for the King if Trump starts criticizing Starmer or the UK more generally,” one of them said.
But government insiders said the foreign secretary would be more likely to match Charles’ own diplomatic skills.
“He has decades of experience with this kind of stuff, including meeting some pretty difficult characters. He reads all his articles and knows exactly what’s going on. We think he’ll be fine,” one said.
Trump has previously expressed his admiration for the royal family and is not expected to start a public fight when Charles arrives on Monday evening.
The king is also likely to walk a fine diplomatic line, although some officials expect him to emphasize his commitment to the environment and Ukraine in his speech to Congress on Tuesday. Although the king likely couched his messages in abstract terms, both could be interpreted as veiled criticisms of the Trump administration.
The government confirmed Sunday that the trip would go ahead as planned despite the weekend shootings at a White House correspondents’ dinner in Washington, D.C.
The king’s security arrangements have changed slightly as a result, but the schedule has not changed, officials say.
Speaking to CBS News’ 60 Minutes sunday nightThe President praised Charles for going ahead with his plans. “[The king] “He’s a great guy and we’re looking forward to it,” she said. “He’s truly a great person, a great representative, and brave.”
