King Charles III heads to US to restore UK-US relations

Washington: Two-and-a-half centuries after the American colonies declared independence, King Charles III was to land in Washington on Mon­day for a four-day state visit to bolster the “special relationship” between the UK and the US. 

The visit remains on schedule despite a security review triggered by a shooting at a Washington dinner. 

The trip takes place against a backdrop of political tension. Trump recently criticised PM Sir Keir Starmer for his stance on the Iran war, yet he continued to speak highly of Charles, whom he has described as a “great guy”.

 Starmer has defended the visit, emphasising the monarchy’s unique ability to build long-term international bonds. However, the visit is not without controversy. 

Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, urged the government to cancel the trip, expressing fears over the King being associated with Trump’s rhetoric. Additionally, the shadow of Andrew Mountb­a­tten-Windsor’s past legal issues persists, with victims of Jeffrey Epstein calling for the King to meet with survivors. 

Charles, 77, who was diagnosed with cancer in early 2024, is accompanied by Queen Camilla. Their itinerary includes a formal White House state dinner, a visit to the September 11 memorial in New York, and a 250th birthday “block party” in Virginia. 

A pivotal moment will be on Tuesday when the King addresses a joint meeting of the US Congress. He is the first British monarch to do so since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991. While the royals hold no direct political power, the King’s speech is expected to use “soft power” to address his core values of environmental conservation and religious harmony.

President Trump issued public assurances regarding King Charles III’s personal security, saying the monarch would “be very safe”. Trump told CBS’s 60 Minutes on Sunday the White House, was “really safe”. “It’s great, he’ll be very safe... the White House grounds are really safe. This area of not very many acres is really safe. And he’ll be staying here, I believe he’s going to a couple of other locations because he’s here for a few days,” said Trump.

—AP