Donald Trump has praised the ‘special relationship’ between the US and the UK as he hosted a ceremonial military welcome for King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the White House. The US president, speaking on the second day of the king’s state visit, said: ‘In the centuries since we won our independence, Americans have had no closer friends than the British.’
The visit comes amid recent tensions between London and Washington, including public criticism by Trump of Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the war in Iran. Officials in Downing Street hope the royal family’s soft power diplomacy can help heal the rift. Trump also praised the late Queen Elizabeth II as a ‘very special woman’ and revealed his mother had a ‘crush’ on the king when he was younger.
The royal couple arrived in Washington on Monday for a four-day state visit marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Later on Tuesday, King Charles is expected to address the US Congress, alluding to recent strains between the two nations. He is expected to reflect that, while the UK and US have not always agreed, their shared democratic traditions have always brought them together.
During the welcome ceremony, Charles and Camilla stood with the president and first lady as national anthems were played and a 21-gun salute was fired. Senior administration officials, including Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, were among the guests.
