King Charles had attendees at an official state dinner at the White House roaring with laughter with a series of jokes and good-natured jibes at his hosts. However, one cheeky jab that had the room in stitches appeared to sail right over President Trump's head.
The State Visit
The King and Queen are currently in the USA on an official state visit marking the 250th anniversary of American independence. An official state dinner was held at the White House yesterday evening, where both the King and President Trump raised toasts, just hours after Charles delivered a historic speech to Congress.
The Joke That Stole the Show
The King had dinner guests screaming with laughter when he quipped the event was a “very considerable improvement on the Boston Tea Party.” But another joke appears to have left the President baffled while attendees roared. In a clip shared on social media, the King says: "You recently commented, Mr President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German. Dare I say that if it wasn't for us, you'd be speaking French."
The room erupts into uproarious laughter, while Mr Trump looks around at the audience with a polite but bemused smile. Many people on social media suggested the President did not understand the joke, a reference to the French and Indian War of the 18th century.
Historical Context
Part of the Seven Years' War, which ran from 1756 to 1763, the conflict saw British forces clash with French colonists over control of parts of North America and Canada. It ultimately ended with the 1763 Treaty of Paris, in which France handed over its claims over land in Canada and parts of North America to Britain and Spain. This cemented Britain as the dominant colonial power until the American Revolutionary War a decade later.
Social Media Reaction
People on X, formerly Twitter, were in stitches over the joke and Mr Trump's reaction to it. One said: "The look of embarrassed bewilderment says that he has no idea what the King is referring to." Another wrote: "The best part is that Trump doesn’t have the brain to understand what the King said." And someone else said: "That awkward smile, yeah he definitely didn't catch that one."
A different user commented: "Nothing like a history lesson wrapped in royal sarcasm to keep dinner interesting. Diplomacy level: politely savage."
Trump's Response
Speaking the same evening, Mr Trump praised the King's speech to Congress as "great" and confessed it made him "very jealous." Charles was given a dozen standing ovations from across the political divide as he gave a masterclass in diplomacy, referencing the special relationship between Britain and the United States.
As the King and Queen, alongside the President and First Lady, posed for pictures ahead of the state dinner, Mr Trump pointed to Charles and said: “He made a great speech. I was very jealous.”
Notable Guests
Guests at the state dinner included a number of Trump allies and top US government officials, as well as figures such as Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy. The third day of the state visit will see the King and Queen travel to New York for a series of engagements, including paying their respects at the 9/11 memorial.
