Trump says King is coming to the US despite calls for state visit to be delayed

Donald Trump has declared the King’s state visit to the US is going ahead, saying the monarch is coming to see him “very shortly”.

The American president said he was “looking forward” to meeting Charles, despite calls for the historic royal trip to be postponed because of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The overseas tour has yet to be officially announced, but the King and Queen are expected to visit Washington and New York in April to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence.

Senior Labour MP Dame Emily Thornberry has suggested it would be “safer to delay” Charles and Camilla’s state visit because of the Iran war, warning they could be left feeling “embarrassed” because of the current crisis.

But Mr Trump, who hosted Taoiseach Micheal Martin in the Oval Office on St Patrick’s Day, told reporters: “I do look forward to seeing the King.

“He’s going to be coming, as you know, very shortly.”

Asking whether his relationship with Sir Keir Starmer was damaged by the UK’s stance over the war, Mr Trump said the Prime Minister made a “big mistake” in his response to US calls for support and suggested his effort to strike a “good deal” on trade with the UK “probably wasn’t appreciated”.

Mr Trump has previously branded the UK’s approach to the conflict “terrible” and repeatedly lashed out at Sir Keir, including describing him as “not Winston Churchill”, with the special relationship between the two allied nations appearing increasingly strained.

The Prime Minister has insisted the UK will not be drawn into a “wider war”.

Dame Emily, chair of the Foreign Affairs select committee, said of the King’s visit: “If it was to go ahead, it would go ahead against a backdrop of a war, and that, I think, is quite difficult – and the last thing that we want to do is to have Their Majesties embarrassed.”

Asked if she was in favour of delaying the visit, she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I don’t know what the programme would involve, but I think it needs to be thought through very carefully as to whether or not it’s appropriate to go ahead now, or maybe have a limited programme or delay it – but we can’t just pretend that there isn’t a background of war.”

She added: “I suspect it would be safer to delay it, but I don’t know the details.”

However, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch backed the US state visit, saying the King represents “standards which both Sir Keir and Mr Trump could actually learn from”.

She told the Press Association that the 250th anniversary was a significant one, adding: “I do think that makes sense and it also reminds people that there are some people who are above this diplomatic row.

“I think the King is a huge asset to our country. He is very much loved. He represents so much about our country – history, tradition – and I think the standards which both Keir Starmer and Donald Trump could actually learn from.”

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the tensions with the US make the King’s planned visit “even more imperative” and it must go ahead.

He said: “There are considerable tensions between the American president and British prime minister, that is true, and they appear to be worsening frankly by the day.

“I would say that makes the King’s visit even more imperative, even more imperative.

“There is absolutely no question that Trump has a sort of awe-like respect, he did for the Queen, that’s for certain and he genuinely likes Charles, I know that.”

Downing Street declined to comment, and the Prime Minister’s official spokesman told reporters: “It’s not for me to discuss future royal engagements, the details of which haven’t yet been confirmed.”

Mr Trump was feted with a second state visit to the UK, unprecedented for an American leader, last year.

The royal family’s soft power diplomacy is viewed as an important and unique way of engaging with the billionaire-turned-politician, who is well known for his love of the monarchy.

Buckingham Palace said it was a matter for the Government, with state visits undertaken on the advice of the Foreign Office.

A recent YouGov poll found 46% of Britons believe the King should cancel the official visit and not travel to the US this year, while 36% said it should go ahead and 18% did not know.

Meanwhile, royal author Robert Hardman suggested it might be more problematic to cancel or postpone the monarch’s trip despite the war, given the significance of the 250th anniversary of American independence.

He added: “The news agenda moves so fast and history shows us that the monarchy does help, does sort of apply a certain sort of balm when the so-called special relationship stops being special, and we’ve seen that time and again.”