King Charles will of course develop his own relationship with the President in private as Head of State. He will doubtless in public express sympathy and concern about the attempts on the President’s life, stress the long standing friendship and deep collaboration between the two countries and welcome the success of the USA as she celebrates 250 years of independence. The government’s support for his State visit is wise, as the UK must be well represented at the 250th celebration and the UK/US relationship needs some diplomatic stimulus after some bad disagreements between the Prime Minister and the President. The King can transcend or avoid the politics.
In practice the King will be given detailed briefing and draft speeches as he is there as the nation’s representative. In our democracy that means he must be loyal to the government’s line. This will pose substantial problems, as the PM has allowed large divides to grow between the US and the UK on a wide range of issues.
- Chagos The President thinks it wrong to give them away to an ally of China and to a country which has signed a Treaty banning nuclear involvement. The UK needs US agreement to amend the founding Treaty for the joint base on Diego Garcia, which the US is understandably unwilling to grant.
- Use of US bases on UK territory. The PM’s temporary banning of use of bases like Diego Garcia and Lakenhall did huge damage, as the US pays for these bases on UK soil for joint defence and protection and could easily pull out of them if they cannot use them as they wish.
- The Falklands. The President wrongly seeks to help Argentina. He does not seem to understand the Falklands are UK territory with a self governing population that vote 99% to remain British.
- Energy policy The President thinks the UK undermines its national security and economy by refusing to use its own oil and gas and turning to imports.
- Defence The UK has not set out how it will get to the new more stretching targets for defence spending by NATO members which have been reasonably requested by the US. The UK will need to explain the current incompetence where the world’s 6th largest defence budget which does provide 2 aircraft carriers, 6 destroyers and 7 frigates is unable to put a single ship into the Gulf to help, and struggled to get one to Cyprus where our base was under attack.
- Trade The UK agreed one of the best trade deals with President Trump but then threw away the good will with its digital tax on US companies, its threatened cbam carbon tariff on US goods, and its extra regulations on US digital success stories.
- Iran The UK has not given military support to the need to stop Iran getting a nuclear weapon or to impede Iran financing and training terrorist groups in Yemen, Lebanon and Gaza.
- Ukraine The US thinks the UK and EU have got in the way of negotiating a peace and have helped prolong the war whilst not themselves providing enough support and military aid to Ukraine to win.
So what should the government tell the King to say? The King should help them get over the truth about Falkland islands democratic wishes and explain that the Falklands government is allowing exploitation of the oil and gas offshore where the President should approve. It would be good if the government chose this moment to announce it was abandoning the bad idea of giving Chagos away, so the King can reassure the President this important base will remain open for use. The King could start the repair job over normal use of US bases on UK territory before the US decides to pull out of some in due course. It would be wise to keep off energy and environment policy as the two sides are so far apart. On defence the King needs good briefing on when and how the UK’s force of naval vessels and planes will be properly available to contribute to NATO and wider alliance tasks. The aircraft carriers are not ” toys”, but they need to be more in use and better supported by UK vessels and planes. The UK needs to consider when and how to offer concessions over its future cbam tariffs, its digital tax and other impediments to US trade to get back tariff free trade more generally.
The UK needs to explain on Iran what its so called coalition of the willing could and would do to help create as well as to police a peace. On both Ukraine and Iran the UK has to see that to make a reality of its wish to have negotiated peace requires talking to and compromising with Iran and the Iran backed terrorists, and with Putin. Grandstanding in a critical way without spelling out how and why compromises will be made to bring success is far from helpful.
My main message to the government is do not send the King there empty handed. He needs some give in these UK positions to help mend the relationship.
April 27, 2026
You claim ‘The UK has not given military support to the need to stop Iran getting a nuclear weapon’. I seem to recall you saying you believe in the deterrent. So why should Iran not have a deterrent?
April 27, 2026
Because there is a very high chance they would actually use it… Simples…
April 27, 2026
Roger Bootle road in the Telegraph:-
“There is only one way to fund defence spending – and it’s not more borrowing
It isn’t rocket science; the reality is that welfare costs have gone completely out of control”
That and ditch net zero and turn doom loop economics into virtuous circle – but Labour are in scorched Earth mode now three more years!
April 27, 2026
Iran wouldn’t see it as a deterrent but a means to obliterate Israel and threaten the West. A religion that believes in martyrdom is a threat to the whole world.
As for what the King should give Trump, we really have nothing to offer. No armed forces to speak of, unwilling to stop a daily invasion by military aged mainly Muslim men. A government led by unelected human rights cowboys intent on persecution of our military.
I think Trump will see this once great country as a joke.
April 27, 2026
I should have thought it obvious that since Iran’s declared intention is to eliminate Israel and the Jews from the earth, it wants nuclear weapons to help fulfil this aim. If it were not sponsoring terrorist attacks on Jews and Christians Iran would be left in peace. Even the IRGC knows this.
April 27, 2026
The main task of the Kings visit should be to avoid reporters asking difficult questions that can lead to further embarrassment. It all needs to be properly stage managed. No questions after speeches etc.
I am not sure there is much the King/government can or will offer Trump.
There is not a lot we can do to stop Trump putting his foot in it again either. Diplomacy is not his strong suit.
April 27, 2026
Nuclear weapons are a deterent when both sides understand and fear the idea of Mutually Assured Destruction. The Irans don’t want a detetent, they want a weapon that can destroy Israel and that can be used to intimidate and threaten others. There is nothing about their previous history that would suggest otherwise. Frankly even to suggest this is extremely naive.
April 27, 2026
Recently our PM announced an investment of £50,000,000, not on industry or something that would give a good return, he is funding efforts to cut out the rays of the Sun, with particles released from airplanes to reflect heat back into space. All for alleged net-0.
Anybody with half a brain could see how dangerous this is and it could so easily go very wrong, triggering unwanted effects.
No wonder our weather has been so volatile, such seeding has been reported on for a while now, so God knows what damage has already been done.
NO prime minister! We don’t want or need the sun blocked because you imagine that will help the fight against alleged net-0. It seems that labour PMs have always been too interested in technological solutions, but in this case, like so many others, seeding has not been fully tested for likely side effects or even analysed fully, meaning they are creating adverse effects and also keeping the weather cool, because of a whim and a dream.
April 27, 2026
SB,
I’ve found this idea, of deliberately ‘polluting’ the atmosphere, a rather undeveloped concept. If it is now thought practical that adding a clouding agent to the air will reduce land temperatures, then perhaps we have cleaned the air in recent years too much, and in fact our earlier, more polluted air was in fact protecting us. Worth investigating?
April 27, 2026
A little bit warmer or more sun would actually be a net benefit on average! Especially for the damp and cloudy UK more solar power from the panels then too.
April 27, 2026
SS,
I would have thought it was obvious why Iran should not have a nuclear weapon… The Iranian regime is a fanatical regime, whose vowed intent is to wipe Israel from the face of the Earth. It is believed by most sane people that Iran would use such a weapon to achieve that vowed intent.
I accept that The USA are the only nation to have used an atomic bomb in anger.
April 27, 2026
The only one so far!
April 27, 2026
Does anyone think that if the Falklands were ever invaded again Starmer or Rayner or Miliband… would or would even try (or be able to) recover it?
He is no Churchill and no Thatcher – his deals on Chagos, the Chinese Embassy, Gibraltar, NI, the spying prosecutions show his anti-British and anti English agendas. Anyway his doomloop tax to death economic angenda and Ed Net Zero lunacy means we will never even be able to afford to.
April 27, 2026
What should the King tell Donald Trump, don’t worry Mr President in a couple of weeks we will be free of our PM Starmer and hopefully the rest of the liebour party
April 27, 2026
Starmer may go but the party will cling to their huge majority (gifted to them by the dire throw the towel in Sunak) under an even more deluded leader. A Scorched Earth policy for 3 more years! Leave as big a hole as possible for the next lot so they get all the blame! Tie up the next lot in as many knots, as weak an economy and with as much debt as possible. That will be the agenda – it has already started.
April 27, 2026
Plus dynamically aligned to the dire EU lunacy.
April 27, 2026
We shouldn’t be sending the King as some kind of emissary in this day and age. Our politicians should do that. In any case, Trump does not listen, he dictates. He has also recently assassinated good faith negotiators on foreign territory and a head of State in their own territory.
Our king is likely to survive this one, he should enjoy the sights and banquets, and suffer the whims of his host politely.
As for the political wishlist, we should carefully realign away from the dying, dangerous US empire.
April 27, 2026
You say “As for the political wishlist, we should carefully realign away from the dying, dangerous US empire.”
This appalling government does indeed seem to be doing as China and the EU wishes at every turn. Starmer Government seems to despise the UK and England (a word he cannot even say) in particular!
Let us hope Labour are all wiped out – as far as possible on May 7th – they certainly deserve to be destroyed.
April 27, 2026
Exclusive: Hermer insulted British war heroes
Attorney General sent email attacking Iraq war troops after his ‘witch hunt’ was exposed as a lie.
In the Telegraph today.
April 27, 2026
The main point on Iran is where the Government and the King stand on Islam. The King is decidedly wobbly and Starmer’s Gang is clearly on the side of the Islamists as demonstrated by its policies on Israel, immigration, justice and policing. Neither will or would defend Christianity. Starmer has told the Muslims of Britain he will not take action against the islamist regime in Iran. The King even refused to defend Christianity in his coronation oath. The Islamification of Britain is proceeding at pace and there is no opposition from the government, nor the Church of England. I would not be surprised were Trump to ask the King whether Britain is still a Christian country, for he has good reason to doubt it. Ideally the King would be able to reply, “Of course”, but the factual record shows otherwise.
April 27, 2026
Good morning.
I do not believe our King should tell President Trump anything. The last time we tried to do that, 250 years ago this year, we were dent packing.
I do want our King to tell TTK something at their next meeting. “Don’t forget to pick up your P45 on the way out.”
April 27, 2026
Tricky because it’s pretty clear the King agrees with Starmer on some of those policies, particularly shutting down oil and gas exploration. Best he avoids political issues entirely.
April 27, 2026
The King’s visit to the USA is simply political theatre. he has no role in any of the issues you mention John.
His presence in Washington is an example of ‘who can we send to help rebuild the broken bridges’?
The choices ate becoming increasingly few. Clearly Starmer is not suitable to send on any diplomatic mission. His ineptitude in all matters diplomatic is clear for all to see thanks to his Scandleson affair.
We can’t send our permanent royal resident in the USA as he is on an antipodean excursion and has been declared persona non grata by the entire establishment for his kiss and tell all tendencies.
We can’t send our BBC star performers team either, as they have all been declared fake and or anti Trump activists.
That just leaves Chuck and Cam to perform a diplomatic miracle made all the more difficult by a school teacher from California who managed to sprint past the presidents security team and gate crash dinner….
April 27, 2026
“What should the King tell Donald Trump?”
“I am going to exercise my residual constitutional right, unprecedented as it may be, to dissolve Parliament and initiate the calling of a General Election. It is not only plain that my Prime Minister has proved himself unfit for the role, it is also plain that his government has exceeded and continues to exceed its mandate in an intolerably destructive manner, so much so that it would be irresponsible of me to turn my back to it.”
April 27, 2026
I expect that what Charles Windsor SHOULD tell the President and what he WILL tell him will be diametrically opposed. Two-Tier appears to have deliberately alienated Trump over a range of issues. I think wrecking the “special relationship” is part of his plan to get us back into the EU.
We already know that when it comes to the Net Zero Insanity, Charles is an enthusiastic supporter and wants “his subjects” to be made colder, poorer, less mobile and to live frugal lives (unlike him). I find it strange that a man, who claims to be so concerned about the environment, is so supportive of the windmills and solar panels which are blighting our land and seascapes and are slaughtering thousands of seabirds, raptors, bats etc every year.
April 27, 2026
He should be introduced as King of The Falklands Islands.
April 27, 2026
Not everything is a deal, not everything is democratic.
You overplayed your hand against Russia and you overplayed your hand against Iran.
Deploy drones to shoot Iran’s small boats and missiles threatening the Straight or back down completely.
Economics is the new global warfare and you are losing.
April 27, 2026
Frankly I’m not sure ‘The King’ has the capability of debating serious isuues with Trump. Tweedledee and Tweedledum spring to mind.