King Charles and President Trump at the White House (Image: Getty)
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are battling an identity crisis – but the one thing King Charles has proven they definitely aren’t are polished diplomats. Donald Trump is still raging from petulant Harry’s ‘why can’t we all get on’ Ukraine speech last month when demanding the US President show some “leadership”.
Just days ago the president eviscerated Harry and Meghan back in return saying in the Oval Office: “That wife of his. Boy, what she’s done to that guy…” Last month he also blasted Harry – ahead of the King’s successful US State Visit – remarking: “Prince Harry? How’s he doing? How’s his wife? Please give her my regards.
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“I know one thing: Prince Harry is not speaking for the UK, that’s for sure. I think I am speaking for the UK more than Prince Harry.” The US president then sarcastically thanked Harry “very much” for his advice on Ukraine.
So lecturing the most powerful man in the world clearly yields no results. I’m no fan of Trump but he’s not going anywhere soon and alpha males and bullies can be brought into the fold.
Everyone has their weak spots and diplomats more cunning and quieter than rent-a-royal Harry have sussed Trump’s Achilles Heel.
The Donald loves the Royal Family.
It all stems from his royalist Scottish mother Mary Anne MacLeod Trump, who was born in the village of Tong, on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides.
Last week Trump said in his welcome speech: “Any time the Queen was involved in a ceremony or anything, my mother would be glued to the television and she’d say, ‘Look, Donald, look how beautiful that is’. She really did love the family.
“But I also remember her saying very clearly, ‘Charles, look, young Charles, he’s so cute.’ My mother had a crush on Charles. Can you believe it? Amazing, I wonder what she’s thinking right now.”
And during King Charles’ visit, he laid the charm and the wit on thick with not just Trump but Democrats and Republicans alike.
Crack! ‘Special Relationship’. Ka-pow! ‘Two countries united by a unique history’. Bang! ‘We’re here when you need us’. One diplomatic dart carefully aimed, one after another.
As King Charles and Queen Camilla were visiting the US to mark the 250th anniversary of independence from the UK he even chose that delicate subject for humour – which made his skill even more impressive as the Americans lapped it up.
Meanwhile Harry told Trump to show more leadership in the Ukraine War (Image: Getty)
Addressing the US Congress, Charles jokingly reassured lawmakers he was not in America for “cunning rearguard action”.
And to laughter he also said: “The Founding Fathers were bold and imaginative rebels with a cause. 250 years ago, or, as we say in the United Kingdom, just the other day, they declared Independence.”
The King earned himself 12 standing ovations as he became just the second British monarch to make a speech on Capitol Hill – following in the footsteps of his late mum, Queen Elizabeth II.
At a White House state dinner Charles dared: “Indeed, 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!” Referencing the 1763 Treaty of Paris that handed American colonies to Britain.
And the King raised a laugh with guests telling them the bash was “a considerable improvement on the Boston Tea Party”.
But the cleverest tact of all was when Charles presented Trump with a golden bell from Royal Navy submarine HMS Trump that fought in the Battle of the Pacific in WWII, an idea of his own.
Charles said: “May it stand as a testimony to our nations’ shared history and shining future. And should you ever need to get hold of us … well, just give us a ring!”
At a time of fraught US-British relations, with Trump and Keir Starmer at odds over the war in Iran, the visit was a masterstroke and proved soft-touch diplomacy works.
Harry’s hectoring just proves he’s a bit of a hapless novice on the world stage. Harry wants it all – and some comes from a very good place.
He wants to be a veteran and charity champion, the planet’s envoy for peace and raise awareness of the perils of social media – but he also wants to fund that by making a stack load of cash via books, TV shows, selling Meghan’s jam and candles and replicas of her outfits.
Meanwhile the King is simply the King. And he does it very well.