LONDON (AP) 鈥� sang the praises of after the monarch鈥檚 this week. He even lifted some as a favor to the British monarch.
The king delivered a diplomatic master-class on the trip, mixing praise for his host with subtle criticism. 滨迟鈥檚 unclear, though, whether it will make a major difference to a trans-Atlantic relationship by divisions over issues including .
鈥淚n the short term probably yes, in the long term probably no,鈥� said Kristofer Allerfeldt, a University of Exeter professor specializing in American history. But he said Charles had 鈥渄efinitely clawed back some of the prestige of the monarchy鈥� in his homeland with his assured performance.
鈥淗e鈥檚 done us proud,鈥� Allerfeldt said.
Like all royal visits, the four-day trip to Washington, New York and Virginia by the king and Queen Camilla was a carefully choreographed diplomatic event carried out at the request of the U.K. government. Timed to help mark the United States鈥� 250th birthday, it was a chance to heal rifts between the U.K. government and the Trump administration.
Trump has criticized Keir Starmer
The president has 鈥�- whom he once praised 鈥�- over his unwillingness to join U.S. military attacks on Iran, dismissing Britain鈥檚 leader as 鈥渘ot Winston Churchill,鈥� the World War II prime minister who coined the phrase 鈥渟pecial relationship鈥� for the U.K.-U.S. bond.
滨迟鈥檚 between Trump and the United States鈥� NATO allies, whom he has called 鈥渃owards鈥� and 鈥渦seless鈥� for not joining action against Iran.
None of that has soured Trump鈥檚 fondness for the British monarchy, which seems to have been deepened by the president鈥檚 to the U.K. in September.
Some U.K. opposition politicians had called for the king’s reciprocal trip to be canceled, lest the president do or say something to embarrass the monarch.
In the end, there was much warmth and few awkward moments 鈥�- though Trump did not always adhere to the convention that conversations with the monarch .
At a white-tie state dinner on Tuesday, Trump said 鈥淐harles agrees with me, even more than I do鈥� that Iran must never have nuclear weapons.
Trump also said that 鈥渋f that were up to him,鈥� the king 鈥渨ould have followed the suggestions we made with respect to Ukraine.鈥�
Buckingham Palace appeared relaxed about Trump鈥檚 Iran comment, noting that 鈥渢he king is naturally mindful of his government鈥檚 longstanding and well-known position on the prevention of nuclear proliferation.鈥�
The king鈥檚 speech chided Trump policies
On Ukraine, however, differences were clear. The U.K. has been one of Kyiv’s strongest supporters in its fight against Russia鈥檚 invasion, and in a speech to Congress the king underscored the importance of the need for 鈥渦nyielding resolve鈥� to support Ukraine.
It was one of several implicit rebukes to the 鈥淎merica first鈥� U.S. administration in the speech, the centerpiece moment of the trip.
With regal understatement and in a cut-glass accent, Charles stressed the essential role of NATO, the importance of checks on executive power, the threat posed by climate change and the strength drawn from 鈥渧ibrant, diverse and free societies.鈥� He spoke of his pride at having served in the Royal Navy, a force Trump has disparaged.
鈥湵醭兮�檚 difficult to imagine he could have gone much further in what he said and what he didn鈥檛 say,鈥� historian Anthony Seldon told The Guardian. 鈥淗e judged it incredibly well: very brave, very smart, very clever.鈥�
Allerfeldt noted the 鈥渆xtraordinary鈥� reception from both sides of the political aisle to the speech, which drew multiple standing ovations.
鈥淎part from the section on the natural world and the environment, both Republicans and Democrats stood up and applauded,鈥� he said.
In a less formal speech at the state banquet, the king even drew laughs when he joked about British troops burning down the White House in 1814.
The king alluded to Epstein’s victims
The trip was judged a success despite the shadow of the king鈥檚 younger brother , who has been stripped of his royal title of Prince Andrew, exiled from public life and put under police investigation over his friendship with . He has denied committing any crimes.
Epstein victims had urged the king to meet with them and other sexual abuse survivors. He didn鈥檛, but he did refer obliquely to the issue in his speech to Congress, mentioning the need to 鈥渟upport victims of some of the ills that, so tragically, exist in both our societies today.鈥�
Andrew Lownie, author of a biography of the former Prince Andrew called 鈥淓ntitled,鈥� praised the speech as 鈥渢he best defense of the monarchy in years.鈥�
After the royal couple left the U.S., Trump announced he was lifting certain tariffs on Scotch 鈥渋n honor of the King and Queen of the United Kingdom.鈥�
Buckingham Palace toasted the announcement, saying the king 鈥渟ends his sincere gratitude for a decision that will make an important difference to the British whisky industry and the livelihoods it supports.鈥�
Trump called the king 鈥渁 phenomenal representative鈥� for his country, before turning back to a familiar theme: criticizing Starmer.
The president told Sky 海角社区app that Charles is 鈥渁 much different person than your prime minister.
鈥淵our prime minister has to learn to deal the way he deals, and he鈥檒l do a lot better,鈥� he said.
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