A new IPSOS poll has revealed that 58 per cent of Britons viewed King Charles' recent four-day state visit to the United States as a success. The trip, which included two days in Washington DC with President Donald Trump and the First Lady, was met with controversy beforehand due to the divisive nature of the US administration.
According to the poll, 46 per cent of Britons believe the visit will have a positive impact on UK-US relations. Furthermore, 32 per cent now agree there is a 'special relationship' between the two countries, a nine per cent increase compared to before the trip. However, 40 per cent of respondents felt the visit would make no difference, citing President Trump's erratic and unpredictable nature.
Americans were less optimistic: only 28 per cent thought the visit would positively impact bilateral ties, 18 percentage points lower than the British view. Gideon Skinner, Senior Director of UK Politics at IPSOS, commented: 'Following a period of considerable uncertainty... King Charles III's state visit appears to have provided a welcome sense of stability, at least in the short term.'
During the visit, the King delivered a 20-minute speech to Congress, receiving 22 rounds of applause. He urged President Trump to abandon his America First policy and commit to a new alliance with Britain. Body language expert Bruce Durham described the address as 'a masterpiece in how to influence people', praising the monarch's comfort and delivery.
Skinner added that while belief in the special relationship has recovered from April's historic low, attitudes remain 'more ambivalent than we have seen in previous years'. He concluded: 'It now falls onto the two governments to build on the optimism that has been created.'
