I landed at Dulles Airport last night and, after a briefing at the British Embassy, I wanted to share my thoughts about this week’s high-stakes state visit to the United States. In truth, it’s hard to think of a trip that has felt as fraught with potential complications as the one the King and Queen will embark on today. Amid ongoing tensions between President Trump and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the continuing conflict in Iran and, less than 48 hours after a gunman attempted to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, there has been a degree of unease about what lies ahead.
That’s why many of us believe it is likely to be the most challenging of the monarch’s reign so far. In fact, I can’t remember an overseas visit where we journalists have felt the same sense of uncertainty about what may unfold. But despite understandable security concerns in the aftermath of Saturday night’s gun attack, the show must go on. I’m told the King’s view is very much one of “keep calm and carry on” and that’s exactly what he will do.
© Getty ImagesAfter discussions throughout Saturday night and Sunday, the trip is going ahead as planned, barring a few small security adjustments. “The King and Queen are most grateful to all those who have worked at pace to ensure this remains the case and are looking forward to the visit getting underway,” said a Palace spokesman.
I’m told the King’s view is very much one of “keep calm and carry on” and that’s exactly what he will do.
Last-minute security changes
Ahead of their arrival, the UK’s new ambassador to Washington, Christian Turner, said: “Our respective security teams have been in close touch for weeks, and if there are any operational changes we have to make, we can make them as we go, and we are all very confident that all appropriate security measures are in place. So now we're focused on the programme ahead of us and looking forward to it getting underway.” Security chiefs will be able to make changes to the programme at any point should further concerns arise.
Emily NashBut there are several reasons why, despite the slight sense of trepidation that surrounds the trip, I think it will all run like clockwork. Despite his fractious relationship with Sir Keir, the President is a huge fan of the King and has described him variously as “a fantastic man”, “a brave man” and “a great man”, which bodes well for a harmonious reunion. And let’s not forget that both the Royal Household and the White House are supremely well-versed in staging a soft-diplomatic spectacle.
© Getty ImagesKing Charles, meanwhile, is the consummate global statesman, having been a visitor to the White House since 1970 and with a lifetime of experience spending time with world leaders. This will be his 20th visit to the US, but his first as King. This visit, to mark the 250th anniversary of Independence, has been many years in the planning and will echo the late Queen Elizabeth’s 1976 visit to celebrate the bicentennial.
As Ambassador Turner made clear last night, it aims to celebrate a relationship that transcends the individuals involved in present day politics or diplomacy. “This relationship has changed enormously since the Declaration of Independence in 1776 but the state visit is not about the past, it's about renewing and revitalizing a unique friendship and supporting the long UK-US relationship to thrive into the next 250 years,” he said.
So when the King and the Queen touch down this afternoon to begin their four-day stay in the United States, their focus will be on honouring that shared history, as well as the current friendship between both nations. And they will do their bit for soft diplomacy as they always do.
© Getty ImagesThe King and Queen's schedule
Engagements will begin with a civilised afternoon tea in the Green Room of the White House, followed by a tour of the newly unveiled and expanded beehive on the South Lawn, setting the pace for what both sides hope will be a historic and successful visit. By Tuesday, any lingering concerns will hopefully be replaced by the familiar format of a ceremonial welcome, an address to Congress and a suitably glitzy state dinner. It will no doubt look different to last September’s events at Windsor, of course, but the tried and tested formula has so far proved highly successful for the King on visits to Paris, Berlin, Rome and Nairobi.
Once the formalities are over, Charles and Camilla will be able to spend some time highlighting issues that matter to them - sustainability and indigenous communities for the King and literacy and animal welfare for the Queen. They’ll also meet Americans from all walks of life to celebrate the unique relationship between our two nations.
One bone of contention has been who they won’t meet. For while Camilla will spend time with representatives of organisations tackling domestic and sexual abuse - whose causes she has championed throughout her public life, the King and Queen will not meet survivors of sexual abuse at the hands of Jeffrey Epstein. Nor will they meet the family of the late Virginia Giuffre Roberts, who said she was trafficked by Epstein to the King’s brother Andrew Mountbatten Windsor for sex when she was 17.
The Palace has confirmed that no such meetings can go ahead at this time to avoid prejudicing the ongoing criminal investigations surrounding the scandal.
© Leon Neal/Getty ImagesWhy was the King determined for this visit to go ahead?
There have been lots of calls for the King to cancel or postpone his visit, given all of the above. But the monarch has inherited the late Queen’s absolute dedication to duty and this is clearly a must for the UK Government. He will play his part to perfection and, we all hope, help to repair some of the many cracks that have begun to appear in the fabled special relationship. Incidentally, the phrase “special relationship” is no longer used by the British diplomats, who prefer instead to call it an “enduring friendship” or “extraordinary alliance”, because the former description sounds “needy”.
I will be covering it for Hello throughout the week and sharing my analysis and opinions with VIP subscribers
