The king will talk: Charles III flew to Trump to re-establish a dialogue
The visit of British King Charles III to the United States is unlikely to improve the dialogue between London and Washington, according to the expert community. The crisis of the "special relationship" is caused by fundamental contradictions, including those related to the different understanding of the role of NATO in ensuring security. The British monarch and his wife Camilla landed in the US state of Maryland on April 27. Among the main plans are a speech by Charles III in Congress and a meeting with US President Donald Trump. About how Britain is trying to smooth out the sharp corners in contacts with the United States and why London is betting on the personal relationship between Charles III and Trump — in the Izvestia article.
Trump and Charles III's special relationship
Coming to the United States can be a serious challenge for the 77-year-old king, who is also struggling with cancer. He will have to endure a four-day program that includes trips to Washington, New York, and Bermuda, an overseas British territory.
King Charles of Great Britain and his wife Camilla
The arrival of the monarch to the United States is a rare and significant event. The last state visit of the Head of the United Kingdom (Elizabeth II) took place in 2007. Then the occasion was the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America. Now the visit of the King of Great Britain is timed to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States from the former metropolis. And this is at a time when the "special relations" between Washington and London are experiencing a serious crisis.
Their most important irritant was Britain's refusal to support the United States in the war with Iran. Donald Trump expected London to take part in military operations against Tehran. However, the United Kingdom only allowed its air bases to be used to attack Iranian targets, firmly stating that it was not going to get involved in a direct conflict with Iran. The British demarche provoked sharp criticism from Trump, who began to regularly declare that Prime Minister Keir Starmer was "not Winston Churchill."
Earlier, the Reuters news agency wrote that the Pentagon is discussing options for punishing Britain. One of the options was Washington's refusal to recognize the Falkland Islands as the territory of the United Kingdom (Great Britain's rights to this territory are disputed by Argentina). The Prime Minister's press service immediately responded to these publications: sovereignty over the islands belongs to the British crown.
Another stumbling block in bilateral relations was the fate of the Diego Garcia joint base on the island of the same name in the Chagos Archipelago near Mauritius, which is owned by Great Britain. In May 2025, Britain and Mauritius signed an agreement under which London transfers Chagos under Mauritian sovereignty. Washington criticized the move, fearing that the transfer of the islands to Mauritius could jeopardize the long-term presence of American forces in the region. As a result, London suspended the implementation of the agreement, awaiting Washington's consent.
Finally, shortly before the king's arrival, Donald Trump threatened London with tough trade sanctions, promising to impose "heavy duties" on British goods if the kingdom did not waive taxes on digital services for American technology companies introduced back in 2020.
In these circumstances, Charles III's protocol visit to the United States has become important for London. The British king and the American president, who seem to have a long-standing friendship, will hold a series of meetings at the White House. Quentin Peel, a British political scientist and former Financial Times journalist, believes that Charles III faces a difficult task: on the one hand, "not to offend" Trump, and on the other, to take a firm stand on the most important issues for the British government.
— King Charles is probably the only person in the world whom Donald Trump does not want to offend, because he is a great monarchist. He adores the late Queen Elizabeth II, and he constantly talks about what a "wonderful friend" Karl is. Therefore, I think that this time Donald Trump himself will be quite careful," the expert told Izvestia.
Fundamental contradictions between the United States and Great Britain
Trump has repeatedly spoken about his love for the royal family and British culture. In 2022, he expressed his condolences on the death of Elizabeth II, saying that she was "a majestic and wonderful woman with a wonderful sense of humor." At a meeting with Keir Starmer in July 2025, the US president described himself as a fan of Charles III. It is curious that Trump allowed the possibility of improving relations with the UK after the visit of the British monarch. "He's fantastic, just a wonderful man," the American president exclaimed in comments to the British media.
Interestingly, London supported Washington in the war with Iraq in 2003, when the Labor Party was in power just as it is now. 13 years after the invasion of Britain, a report was published that was prepared by an independent commission chaired by Judge John Chilcot to investigate the causes and circumstances of the entry of British troops into Iraq. The document stated that London got involved in the war without exhausting all possibilities for a peaceful settlement, and the legal basis for the outbreak of hostilities raises questions. "We all remember Iraq's mistakes, and we have learned our lesson," Keir Starmer said earlier. It is worth noting that the last major crises in US-British relations occurred only in the 20th century.
— Remember the crisis of 1956, when the Americans did not support Britain and France in the invasion of Egypt in order to seize control of the Suez Canal. Remember the Vietnam War, when the British refused to support America," said Quentin Peel. "King Charles is going to the United States to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence. Then the Americans kicked out the British. And I wouldn't be surprised if King Charles, frankly, made a couple of jokes in Congress about feeling a little awkward as a representative of the British monarchy, which was humiliated and expelled from America 250 years ago.
The visit of Charles III is unlikely to be able to resolve the contradictions between the United States and Great Britain regarding fundamental differences in assessments of the role of NATO, the analyst believes.
— I think there is more than just Donald Trump at the heart of the differences between the UK and the US. The United States is much less interested in European allies. And we know that Donald Trump has a rather negative attitude towards NATO. At the same time, the British are big supporters of the alliance. And I don't think King Charles will be able to significantly change the situation. Maybe the relationship will get a little better, but I don't think it will change significantly if we look at it in a couple of weeks," the analyst noted.
In addition, the United States and Britain have different positions regarding the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine and support for Kiev. Washington is seeking an early end to the crisis through dialogue with Russia and pressure on Ukraine for territorial concessions, while Britain continues to insist on the need to maintain military assistance to Kiev. At the same time, London opposes any compromises with Moscow.
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