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In brief
- King Charles has met with US President Donald Trump in Washington.
- The visit is held against the backdrop of a frayed UK-US alliance.
King Charles has arrived in the United States for a pivotal state visit amidst a backdrop of strained transatlantic relations, escalating global tensions, and a scandal involving leaders from both nations.
The British monarch, accompanied by Queen Camilla, was warmly received by President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at the White House on Tuesday. The greeting included handshakes and cheek kisses before the group proceeded indoors for a tea gathering.
During the second day of this significant visit, the Trumps are scheduled to meet with Charles and Camilla in the Oval Office, followed by a state dinner. In a historic moment, Charles will become the first British monarch since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 to address Congress.
This visit is designed to celebrate the enduring ties between the UK and the US, as the two nations approach the 250th anniversary of American independence. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized the visit’s purpose to “honor the long-standing and special relationship” between the countries.
However, this visit occurs at a challenging time for the US-UK alliance. Tensions have risen as President Trump continues military actions in Iran and voices disapproval of allies unwilling to engage in the conflict.
In recent weeks, Trump has criticised UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer over his unwillingness to join US military attacks on Iran, dismissing him as “not Winston Churchill” — referring to the World War Two-era prime minister who coined the “special relationship” name for the UK-US bond.
A controversial trip at a fraught time
He’s also attacked the Starmer government’s immigration and energy policies, and belittled the British military’s sacrifices in Afghanistan.
The visit has generated controversy among UK politicians, but Starmer has resisted pressure to cancel it. Trump’s recent slights against Pope Leo XIV have heightened concerns that the trip poses risks of friction or embarrassment.
Ed Davey, leader of the UK’s centre-left Liberal Democrats party, said earlier this month he feared what Trump “might say or do while our king is forced to stand by his side”.
But Starmer argued that “the monarchy, through the bonds that it builds, is often able to reach through the decades” and bolster important relationships.
The alliance has experienced several periods of tension since World War Two, noted Jared Mondschein, director of research at the University of Sydney’s United States Studies Centre.
“That doesn’t mean that the special relationship is, by any means, doomed,” he told SBS News. “That also doesn’t mean that the special relationship can go ignored.
“And I think this is an instance of the UK government using their trump card — and that is the royal family.”
“President Trump’s clear reverence for the royal family can’t be denied.”
The trip may be a way for the UK government to “restore some of the special relationship and warm ties that have defined President Trump’s perspective of the UK not too long ago”, he added.
The Epstein shadow
The visit is also clouded by continued fallout from revelations in the Jeffrey Epstein files, with Trump, Charles and Starmer all facing scrutiny.
In February, the king’s younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested, detained and questioned by police on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He was stripped of his royal titles last year over his links to the late sex offender and has denied any wrongdoing.
Epstein victims have urged the king to meet with them and other sexual abuse survivors, though it’s unlikely he will do so.
Starmer, meanwhile, continues to face calls for his resignation over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson — a former Epstein associate who was arrested by UK police in February on suspicion of misconduct while in office — as UK ambassador to the US.
The Epstein files have also loomed over Trump’s presidency, renewing questions over his past associations with the disgraced financier and his promises of transparency.
Can a royal visit mend a strained alliance?
Trump seems to think so. A self-professed fan of the British royal family, he told the BBC recently that the king’s visit could “absolutely” help repair the transatlantic relationship.
“He’s fantastic. He’s a fantastic man. Absolutely the answer is yes,” Trump said.
He has spoken in glowing terms about Charles in the past, referring to him as a “friend” and “great guy”.
James Corera is an expert in national security, foreign policy and intelligence, and is the director of cyber, technology and security at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
He told SBS News Trump’s regard for Charles “carries genuine diplomatic weight at a moment when traditional channels are under pressure”.
Charles operates outside the “transactional friction of day-to-day politics”, he said, serving as a trusted interlocutor.
What to expect from Charles’ address to Congress
Charles’ address to both chambers of Congress provides an opportunity to reinforce a message about the importance of US-UK ties.
Queen Elizabeth did just that when she addressed Congress more than two decades ago, emphasising the importance of NATO and shared democratic values. She started her speech with a joke and was greeted with a standing ovation, in what was widely considered a success.
According to Buckingham Palace, Charles’ visit will recognise the “challenges the United Kingdom, the United States, and our allies face across the world” and serve as “a moment to reaffirm and renew our bilateral ties as we address those challenges together, in the UK’s national interest”.
Under the UK’s constitutional system, the monarch is expected to be politically neutral.
“His mother really went out of her way to avoid political machinations or participating in them [publicly],” Mondschein said.
“I think King Charles, in this instance, will probably continue, formally at least, to avoid political engagement and focus more on the cultural and historic ties between the United States and in the United Kingdom.”
But behind closed doors, he said, the king may be working more pointedly to stabilise the relationship and underscore the value of the alliance.
— With additional reporting by Agence France-Presse and Associated Press.
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