King Charles’s US state visit must go ahead, writes Emily Ferguson (Image: Daily Express)
I’ve read some arguments over the past few weeks suggesting the King and Queen’s visit to the US should be called off owing to President Donald Trump’s recent spate of controversial remarks. The calls came at the start of the year over Trump’s erratic behaviour over Greenland and the recent ICE killings.
Now criticism has intensified after the President apparently dismissed our Prime Minister “a loser” and publicly disparaged him as being “no Winston Churchill” because Sir Keir is cautious about helping the US wage war against Iran. But instead of appearing rattled or humiliated, Starmer is sanguine about the future of the special relationship.
We all know Trump makes inflammatory knee-jerk comments when someone disagrees with him or when things don’t go his way. Politicians are known for hurling verbal grenades at one another, while the Royal Family are there to help woo and smooth things over.
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That’s why the US state visit is needed now more than ever. Senior royals are infamous for wielding the popular buzz phrase “soft power”, walking diplomatic tightropes and helping forge closer relations between countries.
Trump is a lover of all things royal, so there’s no better way of stroking his ego and reminding him of the special relationship than sending the King for a visit. What’s more, cancelling such an important trip would risk inflaming the US President even more. He would take such a move personally, and relations could reach rock bottom.
The trip at the end of next month will certainly be one of the monarch’s most challenging tours yet, as he continues to deal with the fallout from his brother’s connection to Epstein. Stakes are high, but if anyone can navigate the fraught path that lies ahead, it’s the King. What’s the saying? Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer…
Prince William took a phone order of pasties (Image: Getty)
William’s hilarious blunder
From making pasties to serving them up, is there anything our future king can’t do? Well, yes, actually, it appears he can make mistakes like the rest of us.
When taking a pasty order over the phone during his trip to Cornwall on Thursday, he made a slight mishap, much to the amusement of staff. Confirming an order of 10 frozen pasties and five fresh pasties, William asked: “What name is that? Juicy? Josie! Sorry Josie, I thought you said Juicy.” Laughing he added: “The pasties will be juicy – 15 pasties for Josie for 1.45pm.”
The Commonwealth Day Service will see the Royal Family come out in force (Image: PA)
Royal Family unite
Tomorrow we will see the Royal Family put on a united front, as they attend the annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey.
The King will be joined by the Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are unable to attend as they’ll be in Italy for the start of the Paralympic Winter Games.
It will mark the biggest gathering of senior royals since Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest last month. In his Commonwealth Day message, the King will speak of “testing moments” and times “of great challenge”. While he is undoubtedly referring to the wars being waged across the world, climate change and other global issues, there is a certain personal relatability to his words.
Worrying times
It’s terrifying to think that this time last month I was touching down in Riyadh for the start of the Prince of Wales’s three-day trip to Saudi Arabia.
This week, diplomats and staff at embassies in the capital, including the British Embassy where the royal rota pack visited for a briefing on the first day of the trip, were told to shelter in place due to a potential threat.
The gates to the Diplomatic Quarter, a neighbourhood on the western edge of the Saudi capital that houses most foreign missions in the country and where our hotel was located, were closed as of Thursday afternoon.
It serves as a reminder of just how quickly things can change, tensions erupt and strikes are made. I hope all those working in the Middle East are safe, and those on holiday or work trips are able to make it home soon.
King Charles has spent the week at Sandringham (Image: PA)
A welcome rest
The King and Queen have spent the past week enjoying some downtime at Sandringham. There were no public engagements from the pair as they enjoyed some respite at their private sanctuary in Norfolk. And who can blame them after the past few weeks?
As they’ve grappled with the public fallout of Andrew’s arrest, ‘keep calm and carry on’ has been the order of the day.
In the seven working days since the commotion, the couple undertook 10 public engagements between them, with the King undertaking 16 audiences alongside his stately duties. There was the Queen’s meeting with French rape survivor Gisele Pelicot, and for the King a visit to London Fashion Week just hours after his brother’s arrest.
Keeping the show on the road is important, but safeguarding headspace is also important. So lets hope the pair have no trouble launching themselves back into their royal routine with their trademark smile and humour tomorrow.