Warmth, laughter and what the King REALLY thought about his ‘high stakes’ visit to Washington: REBECCA ENGLISH

The King understood the ‘high risk’ nature of his charm-attack visit to Washington but was determined to challenge Donald Trump on issues such as NATO and Ukraine because ‘he personally cared’.

Speaking at the end of the historic four-day trip, a senior aide insisted Charles was there to complement, not challenge, the government, whose relations with Trump have hit rock bottom.

And they revealed that the King’s talks with the mercurial US leader were remarkably characterized by plenty of behind-the-scenes laughter.

The monarch’s trip was widely praised as a victory for helping to revitalize the so-called special relationship while also tactfully relaying some facts to Trump on controversial issues. “The word historic is overused and we are always hesitant to use that word in the palace, but I believe it can be used for this visit,” the aide said. ‘This was a high-stakes speech to Congress.’

Charles was the first English king, and only the second monarch after his mother, to be invited to a joint session of the legislature, and was given a standing ovation no less than 13 times.

Asked why the King would take the bull by the horns and raise issues, including the role of NATO, at a time when Trump has shown nothing but disdain for the alliance, the source said: ‘It’s a measure of how much he cares personally.’

As for whether it is wise to address such topical issues, the aide added: ‘Firstly, what the King says will always be guided by the truth. Secondly, it will be guided by conscience. Third, these are all observable facts. Everything said in that speech is an observable fact. So I think we feel very comfortable with the King speaking in that way.’

They also insisted it was not strange that Trump’s relationship with the monarch was better than it was with Sir Keir Starmer, whom the President has repeatedly berated. ‘This is not a competition between the King and the government,’ they said. ‘The king is there to support the government.’

The King gives a toast during his speech at the state dinner in Washington. To his left is the Trump bell that Charles presented to the US President

During his time in Washington, Charles gave a speech to Congress in which he praised NATO and Ukraine’s defense.

During his visit, Charles was praised as a ‘great king’ by Trump and the pair were seen howling with laughter together at times. The aide said both men and the Queen and First Lady Melania “got on very well”.

“You might think that, given some of the issues that have arisen, things might be a little difficult,” the aide said. ‘But it’s far from that.

‘The warmth you see in public is definitely the temperature you see in private. There was great warmth and laughter at the meeting in the Oval Office.’

While the king has proven to be far from the ‘meddling monarch’ many of his critics had predicted, there is no doubt that he has conducted this visit in a very different way to his late mother’s approach.

But aides say each ruler develops the role in his or her own way, and that’s what keeps the institution “relevant.” It seems the King is determined to continue dealing with matters in a way that the late Queen did not and ‘doesn’t shy away from it’.

But sources insist he is well aware of his constitutional limitations and remains “above politics.”

They believe the ‘doommongers’ who predicted the trip would be a disaster were ‘looking through the wrong end of the telescope’ and that it was actually an ‘incredible opportunity’ to make a profit for the UK.

Trump has already announced an end to whiskey tariffs “in honor” of his “friend”, but he is known to be an unstable character.

King Charles laughs with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani during the ceremony at the September 11 Memorial

President Donald Trump greeted King George III on the south lawn of the White House at the end of their official visit to the United States. Charles and Queen welcome Camilla for departure ceremony

King Charles visited Dickey Ridge Shenandoah National Park in Virginia on the last day of his state visit to the United States

The King is on a Bermuda Coast Guard ship

King Charles attends traditional Gombey dance performance during his state visit to Bermuda

But sources insist that ‘even a marginal gain is a gain’.

It was absolutely clear that Trump wanted the trip to be a success, rolling out the red carpet with a number of historic firsts.

First Lady Melania was apparently in the White House dining room until late afternoon ahead of Tuesday’s state dinner to ensure ‘everything was exactly as she wanted’ after being stunned by the state banquet held in their honor at Windsor Castle last year.

Mr Trump even assembled a 100-strong military band to play a set of Andrew Lloyd Webber show tunes that would fill the room after dinner, following what was described as a ‘warm and handsome’ tribute to the King.

US Ambassador to the UK Warren Stephens described the state visit as ‘fantastic’.

Speaking in Bermuda on Friday, shortly after the King disembarked – now without Camilla – for the second part of his trip, the diplomat said: ‘I was just telling him what a great job he did at the Congress and the state dinner and the gift of HMS Trump’s bell.’

The artifact, taken from a World War II submarine, was a personal gift from the King and was greatly admired by the President.

Sources say it is a sign of the King’s work ethic that he donned his ‘Bermuda gear’ within seconds of taking off from the US on the government plane ‘Baby Voyager’ on Thursday night and worked the entire trip, taking out his red boxes to read.

‘This is a man who was strictly acting in the line of duty,’ an aide said. ‘What seems like risk and challenge [the US] It was also an extraordinary opportunity. One grasped by the king with both hands. We’ll leave it up to you to decide what the outcome of this is.

‘But he is not a man to dwell long on yesterday’s successes; always looking at tomorrow’s opportunities.’