King keeps calm and carries on with the Trumps
Hannah Furness
washington: After all the rhetoric, the insults, and the attempted assassination of the president of the United States, the royal family’s state visit to America is finally getting underway.
Wearing an ornate badge bearing the flags of both countries glistening in the sunlight, King Henry III. Charles and Queen Camilla stepped onto the tarmac of an air base in Washington, D.C., and took part in a charm blitz hosted by the Trumps.
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed their royal guests to the White House for tea, showed them around the beehives and entertained the King and Queen so much that they were greatly overscheduled from the moment they met.
More than 45 minutes passed in the Green Room, where a cup of tea (Earl Gray or Royal Blend) was prepared with a pen for half an hour, while the four carried on a lively conversation while a butler poured tea into delicate cups.
They spent another 20 minutes talking about bees, honey and gardens during an unexpected meeting on the White House lawn.
Nearly 250 years after America’s independence, the people of the former colony met with King George III’s great-great-great-great-grandfather. When he said goodbye to George, the British came again.
It was a gentle start to what could have been an exhausting four days. The subtleties belied the difficulties that led to these grueling tours. The king was tasked with once again impressing the president, who called him a friend.
In recent weeks, the president has been seen insulting Britain and its prime minister, Keir Starmer, following disagreements over the war in Iran. There is a perceived threat to the Falklands and protesters plan to disrupt the trip to call for justice for Jeffrey Epstein’s victims.
A last-minute security scare in which a gunman allegedly tried to shoot the president during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner has overshadowed the final days before the visit and raised serious questions about the safety of such high-profile guests.
The message from the palace was “keep calm and carry on”. The “ring of steel” as known by some circles is still in place. As is often the case on royal tours, the noise would fade away once it started.
Calm and smiling, the King and Queen were welcomed to the United States at Joint Base Andrews military airport on Monday afternoon (Washington time), as protocol requires.
They landed on a British government plane; It had the Union flag on its tail and wingtips, and two flags (the Royal Standard and the stars and stripes of the United States) flew in the cockpit.
There was small talk to be made, poses to be adopted and a minute to stand for the national anthems before getting into a blacked-out car in a 29-vehicle convoy as required by American security.
After a brief stop to change at Blair House, the presidential guesthouse within the White House esplanade, the King and Queen were led directly to the day’s photo shoot while the Trumps were outside the White House.
Pink Dior at the airport and World War II in 1957. The Queen, who wore a brooch made for Elizabeth, had changed her clothes to white chiffon when she met the First Lady.
There were kisses on the cheek
The President stepped forward to greet the King. There were kisses on cheeks and a few moments where the foursome tried to figure out where to stand in an official photo to commemorate the moment.
Posing for photographers for about a minute, Trump leaned in to make small talk with the King and World War II. He pointed out landmarks, including the tree Elizabeth planted during her visit in 1991. As he entered, Trump patted the King firmly on the shoulder.
Other than a few photos, the tea was special.
The First Lady, who oversaw much of the planning, wanted to show the royal couple the beehives on the South Lawn near the Kitchen Garden.
The King and Queen, who often wear bee brooches, have their own hives at their homes in Highgrove and Ray Mill, as well as at Buckingham Palace.
There were few opportunities to talk politics; There will be speeches all day tomorrow and a “bi-lat” meeting for the two men.
In the evening, Charles and Camilla set out for the British ambassador’s house for a garden party. Emulating the best of British entertainment, 650 guests, including Olympic diver Tom Daley, were treated to four types of sandwiches, scones and miniature cakes, along with Hambledon sparkling wine.
The invitation’s instructions that “hats are not encouraged” caused great amusement in Capitol Hill circles. If the first day of the trip was about soft power (American hospitality with a British twist), the second day will see the King get down to business in earnest.
He will speak at the convention and at a black-tie dinner at the White House, where he will exchange compliments with Trump and make nuanced points about the need to work together.
A quarter of a millennium after America declared independence, the King will talk about friendship and family, adding a few jokes to the dinner, true to his style.
The late Queen’s mother met 13 presidents and guided the trans-Atlantic relationship from the Second World War to the present day. The King now has a chance to make his mark with bees and cucumber sandwiches along the way.
Telegraph, London
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