The senior royals, King Charles III, 76, and Queen Camilla, 77, are being lined up for a US visit after Donald Trump’s inauguration. The purpose of the trip is to fortify the UK’s relations with the US, palace sources told The Times of London.
Yes, the talks are still in their infancy, but word around is that the trip will highly likely take place in 2026.
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Trump has chemistry with them
“Donald Trump has a clear affinity for the royal family. He had a great relationship with the late Queen, recently met Prince William and has spoken highly of King Charles. A royal tour to the US would help reinforce the ‘special relationship.'” A source told the outlet.
They want to exert their “soft power”
A second source explained to the outlet: “Playing up to his pro-monarchist tendencies is one of a number of important ways we can exert our soft power. You saw that during his first administration and can expect to see it again.”
There are other chances for them to meet
There is an almost certain possibility that King Charles and Queen Camilla will be invited to Washington, DC, next year for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the US Declaration of Independence.
Trump, 78, has already said that he plans to invite a slew of world leaders and dignitaries to the “best of all time” celebrations, and that can very well include the senior royals.
Football may bridge the gap, too
Now that the US, Canada, and Mexico, will join forces to host the FIFA World Cup, it is also probable that Trump may invite Prince William, the Prince of Wales, since he’s the Patron of the Football Association. Prince William’s wife, Kate Middleton, might join them as well.
It’s not easy granting visits
It is worthy to mention that no elected leader has been granted two state visits by the UK. The only exceptions to the rule are Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, in 1974 and 2000, and King Olav of Norway, in 1962 and 1988.
The king sent a message to the president
King Charles sent a personal handwritten message of congratulations to Trump for his inauguration on Monday as he was sworn into office for the second time. In it, the king addressed the “enduring special relationship between the UK and US.”
Will Trump visit the UK?
The answer to this is still unknown. Though it may not seem likely, there is still a chance it might happen later in the year.
Normally, when prominent figures get invited to the UK, it is under the advisory of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, with the final decision being up to the UK government.
Not his first interaction with the royals
Trump recently hung out with Prince William during a visit to the newly reopened Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris last month. “I had a great talk with the prince,” Trump told The New York Post.
He added, “We had a great talk for half an hour, a little more than half an hour. We had a great, great talk.”
He goes way back with the senior royals
He met the senior royals during his first term, saying that he had “automatic chemistry” with the late Queen Elizabeth II, and he praised King Charles III, whom he first met in 2005, calling him a “really wonderful guy.”
He cares for the royals
When Trump met Prince William, he asked him about his family, saying: “I asked him about [Kate Middleton] and he said she’s doing well. And I asked him about [King Charles’ cancer] and his father is fighting very hard, and he loves his father and he loves his wife, so it was sad.”
