\n \u201cThe word \u2018special\u2019 does not begin to do it justice,\u201d said Donald Trump<\/a> of the relationship between the United States and Britain. \u201cWe\u2019re like two notes in one chord, or two verses of the same poem \u2013 each beautiful on its own, but really meant to be played together.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n That was in September, when the US president spoke at a banquet hosted by King Charles III <\/a>to mark his unprecedented second state visit to Britain. <\/a>Since then, Trump\u2019s comments about Britain have not been so lyrical, or so kind.\n <\/p>\n \n The president has called Prime Minister Keir Starmer a \u201closer\u201d over his refusal to assist the US militarily in its war with Iran. He said Starmer was \u201cno Churchill,\u201d comparing him instead to Neville Chamberlain, a previous British leader who appeased Hitler. He declared that Britain was no longer \u201cthe Rolls-Royce of allies\u201d and dismissed its Royal Navy aircraft carriers as \u201ctoys.\u201d Asked this month about the state of the \u201cspecial relationship,\u201d Trump replied: \u201cNot good, not good at all.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n It falls to King Charles to help mend it. The monarch lands in the US on Monday for a four-day state visit<\/a> to mark the 250th anniversary of its independence, declared during the reign of his five-times great-grandfather, King George III.\n <\/p>\n \n The \u201cspecial relationship\u201d<\/a> has endured a lot since then, from Britain\u2019s burning down the White House in the War of 1812 to the US invasion of Grenada in 1983, while Queen Elizabeth II was its head of state.\n <\/p>\n \n Relations are again at a low ebb. Starmer had been praised for successfully navigating the first year of Trump\u2019s second term; the second year has been choppier due to disagreements over Trump\u2019s war against Iran.\n <\/p>\n \n Although the British monarch must stay above politics, his government is hoping that his US tour can help ease tensions. Charles and Camilla will have plenty of face time with the Trumps on the Washington leg of the trip, which culminates in an address by the King to a joint meeting of Congress, before the royals head to New York and Virginia.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cThe King will not be having the kind of conversation with the president, or with senior senators and so on, that the prime minister would, but he\u2019s extremely well informed, and it provides an opportunity for private conversations on some really important issues,\u201d said Peter Westmacott, former British ambassador to the United States.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cFrom the United Kingdom\u2019s point of view, we would obviously hope that those private conversations will have some impact,\u201d he added.\n <\/p>\n \n King Charles was said to be \u201cgreatly relieved\u201d that Trump, his wife and other guests were unharmed after a gunman attempted to charge into a Washington media dinner<\/a> on Saturday night, Buckingham Palace said. The King and Queen were understood to have reached out privately to the US president following the security incident.\n <\/p>\n \n The palace later confirmed Sunday that the royal state visit to the US will go ahead as planned \u201cfollowing discussions on both sides of the Atlantic through the day, and acting on advice of Government.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cThe King and Queen are most grateful to all those who have worked at pace to ensure this remains the case and are looking forward to the visit getting underway tomorrow,\u201d the palace said in a statement.\n <\/p>\n \n CNN understands there will be some minor operational adjustments to one or two engagements but the overall plan for the four-day visit remains as previously scheduled.\n <\/p>\n \n Charles has become something of a trump card for the British government. When Starmer visited the White House last year, he wasted little time in brandishing a letter from the King, inviting the president for a state visit at Windsor. The move showed how Starmer\u2019s government planned to handle Trump in his second term: play to his penchant for flattery and royalty – and hope to reap rewards.\n <\/p>\n \n Trump\u2019s affection for Britain and its monarchy is known to run deep. In \u201cThe Art of the Deal,\u201d Trump said he got his \u201csense of showmanship\u201d from Queen Elizabeth II, whose coronation he watched on TV when he was a boy. He recalled being \u201centhralled by the pomp and circumstances, the whole idea of royalty and glamor (sic).\u201d And the president often speaks of his \u201cgreat love\u201d for Scotland, the birthplace of his mother, where he owns two golf courses.\n <\/p>\n \n But beneath this affection, there are deep differences between the monarch and president.\n <\/p>\n \n Trump\u2019s \u201cdrill, baby, drill\u201d plan is the sort of policy that Charles, an early environmentalist, has railed against for decades. While the King is a devotee of wind farms, Trump abhors them. He complained last year that the wind farms off the coast of his Turnberry golf course were not only an eyesore, but \u201cdriving the whales loco.\u201d When Trump met then-Prince Charles during his first term, he complained the conversation had been \u201cterrible,\u201d according to former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham. Trump said the future King spoke of \u201cnothing but climate change,\u201d Grisham wrote in her memoir.\n <\/p>\n \n While the late Queen Elizabeth II enjoyed relatively smooth relations during her seven visits to the US, Charles will be fully cognizant of the turbulent landscape he\u2019ll need to navigate while deploying the diplomatic expertise he has honed for decades. He knows how careful words and thoughtful actions can defuse wider tensions.\n <\/p>\n \n For the King, this trip isn\u2019t just <\/em>about Trump. It\u2019s about America and the shared history between the two countries. That relationship \u201ctranscends the presidency,\u201d a UK source with knowledge of the state visit arrangements told CNN.\n <\/p>\n \n They pointed to shared values, cultures with ingrained economies and security arrangements. \u201cAll of those things predate this current moment and all of them will continue long after,\u201d the source added. That\u2019s because when Trump leaves office and is replaced, the King will need to pick up with the next president and the ones after that until his son William takes over.\n <\/p>\n \n The \u201creality,\u201d CNN was told by the source, is that the two countries have disagreed in the past on everything from Vietnam to the Suez Crisis but ultimately came back together during the World Wars, the Cold War and the creation of the United Nations. Things don\u2019t always have to be \u201crosy,\u201d the source explained.\n <\/p>\n \n Sources from the British side have said the King\u2019s schedule has been tailored more broadly for the American people.\n <\/p>\n \n In Washington, the White House will lead on anything that happens at the executive residence, such as a private meeting between the King and Trump, a tour of the new White House beehive, a ceremonial military review with 21-gun salute, and the state dinner. The event is white tie, according to the UK source familiar with visit plans, the highest level of formal evening attire rather than the more semi-formal black tie \u2013 indicating top-tier honors for the British head of state. And expect a guest list that is more corporate than Hollywood glitz; there\u2019ll be no John Travoltas dancing their way into the headlines.\n <\/p>\n \n Beyond the White House, the Brits have shaped arrangements and optics. The King and Queen will attend a garden party reflecting a cross-section of US society, and later in the week they will lay a wreath and flowers commemorating those who have lost their lives in service to the US, UK and allies.\n <\/p>\n \n The highlight of the visit is the King\u2019s address to a joint meeting of Congress, only the second time a British monarch has done so. He is expected to speak directly to the American people rather than deliver an ode to any particular president.\n <\/p>\n \n There have been calls for the royal couple to meet with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein\u2019s abuse following the Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor scandal. Charles\u2019 brother was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office; police had previously said they were reviewing claims that Mountbatten-Windsor shared sensitive information with the convicted sex offender while serving as envoy. The former prince has previously denied all accusations against him and insisted he never witnessed or suspected any of the behavior of which the late Epstein is accused.\n <\/p>\n \n While the royals won\u2019t address the Epstein scandal directly during the visit, they are expected to show how survivors of abuse should always be front of mind by meeting representatives of charities that work with survivors of domestic violence.\n <\/p>\n \n Away from the capital, the royal couple will continue this theme of connection with everyday Americans in New York where they will visit the 9\/11 memorial and meet first responders, as well as going to a community initiative in Harlem, a literacy event, and a possible walkabout.\n <\/p>\n \n Then in the Democratic state of Virginia, they will meet indigenous communities to hear about conservation but also the contentious issue of land rights, which may raise eyebrows in the Trump administration. They will also attend a 250th anniversary block party. After leaving the US, the King will travel on to Bermuda before flying home to the UK.\n <\/p>\n \n The trip also marks a high-stakes diplomatic test for the White House, which is set to offer the full pomp and circumstance of an official state visit.\n <\/p>\n \n Trump has personally taken an expanded role in planning for Tuesday evening\u2019s event, according to one source familiar with the matter.\n <\/p>\n \n First lady Melania Trump signaled she has been involved with floral design and china selection, working closely with a team of White House chefs, social staff and protocol experts. The office of the first lady posted a black-and-white video teasing \u201cthe final details\u201d last week, showing floral arrangements with amaranthus and roses, a place setting featuring the gilded Clinton china service, and a menu handcrafted by the White House Calligrapher\u2019s Office.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cAn event of this importance and magnitude is given great care and attention,\u201d a White House official told CNN.\n <\/p>\n \n But Donald Trump, who is known to revel in the pageantry of official events, has taken the lead on details like building the guest list and menu selection, with his wife weighing in. The planning has taken place without a White House social secretary, a critical role for high-stakes hosting duties. Melania Trump, who employs a small staff compared to her predecessors or even her first term team, has yet to fill the position.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cHe\u2019s going to want it to be super grand,\u201d one former White House official said, recalling how impressed Donald Trump was during a previous visit to Buckingham Palace.\n <\/p>\n \n His elevated attention to these details underscores the ways in which he has taken control of tasks that traditionally fall under the office of the first lady and executive residence staff. The president played a similar role for the Governors\u2019 Ball earlier this year, where a military ensemble performed selections from Les Mis\u00e9rables.\n <\/p>\n \n And it comes as he oversaw the demolition of the East Wing, which was home to first ladies and their staff for decades, and is leading changes to the Rose Garden and West Colonnade, along with ballroom construction.\n <\/p>\n \n While their husbands meet, the first lady will host Queen Camilla for an educational event using virtual reality headsets and AI-enabled glasses with American students.\n <\/p>\n \n As Trump indulges his love of all things royal, Charles will spotlight the shared history between the two countries \u2013 and perhaps in the process ease current tensions.\n <\/p>\n \n When asked whether King Charles and Queen Camilla\u2019s visit could help fix the faltering US-UK relationship, Trump struck a positive tone on Thursday. \u201cAbsolutely, the answer is yes,\u201d he told the BBC in a phone interview.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cI know him well, I\u2019ve known him for years,\u201d he said. \u201cHe\u2019s a brave man, and he\u2019s a great man. They would absolutely be a positive.\u201d\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Washington, DC\u00a0\u2014\u00a0 \u201cThe word \u2018special\u2019 does not begin to do it justice,\u201d said Donald Trump of the relationship between the United States and Britain. \u201cWe\u2019re like two notes in one chord, or two verses of the same poem \u2013 each beautiful on its own, but really meant to be played together.\u201d That was in September, … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28841,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28840","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/King-Charles-to-meet-Trump-for-the-toughest-mission-of.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28840","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=28840"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28840\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28842,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28840\/revisions\/28842"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/28841"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=28840"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=28840"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=28840"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n Washington, DC
\n <\/cite><\/p>\n![\"Trump](\"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/gettyimages-2202346228.jpg\")
\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Trump,](\"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/gettyimages-1147718283-20260426155429392.jpg\")
\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n The King and the Americans
\n<\/h2>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/gettyimages-2272320931.jpg\")
\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Trump](\"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/gettyimages-2266189156.jpg\")
\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"