Bees, tea, and diplomacy: Charles III and Trump meet again in Washington
The British state visit kicks off amidst gestures of cordiality, symbolic meetings, and a speech by the monarch this afternoon that will be read in a political key
LondonA storm in a teacup? The English phrase a storm in a teacup fits, without much forcing, with the last hours lived in Washington: the presumed assassination attempt against the president Donald Trump and the arrival of Charles III and Queen Camilla on his first state visit, under the pretext of commemorating the two hundred and fifty years of the independence of the United States. And around a cup of tea, Trump, Melania, the King, and the Queen discussed the situation. As if it had all been a storm in a teacup? Probably not: the consequences will continue to be evident when the royal trip ends.
But, then, what did they talk about? The assassination attempt and Trump's repeated and recent disqualifications of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer? No. They talked, above all, about bees. Because after the kisses and welcome smiles to the royal couple at the White House this Monday in the mid-afternoon (federal capital time), the guests went to have tea with Melania and the President in the so-called Green Room. The meeting around some aromatic royal blend or earl grey was scheduled to last 20 minutes according to the planned program, but it lasted 45. In diplomacy, even the clock is negotiated, and thus the idea of a relationship much more than cordial was conveyed. The choreography of the visit is, for now, impeccable.
650 guests, representatives of the numerous island colony living in the United States.
A relevant speechIn any case, the scheduled times had already gone out the window to continue delving into the idea of extreme cordiality, and around the hives of the South Lawn, next to the garden kitchen, and the honey produced by the president's bees, the conversation continued fluidly. Until early afternoon, when Charles III and the queen retired to the British embassy in Washington for a garden party with 650 guests, representatives of the numerous island colony living in the United States.
A relevant speech
The King never speaks about politics in public and, when he does, it's in his own way. And this will happen this Tuesday, when he addresses Congress in a speech that will be read with a magnifying glass. What can he say? Nothing that greatly inconveniences his host, but also not his subjects, who have seen Donald Trump repeatedly attack some of the UK's most relevant symbols in recent weeks: from the Royal Navy to the army.
Charles III will have to refer to the long tradition of transatlantic friendship between London and Washington, which Trump is determined to break, and which benefits both countries and perhaps the world as a whole. How the statement will fit into the context of the Iran war is, as of today, a mystery of rhetoric. The speech is expected to last about 20 minutes, and the progress made ensures that it will include references to Ukraine, the Middle East, NATO, and the Aukus defense pact, which unites the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States. Another of the unknowns is how Trump will fit this last reference, considering that Joe Biden signed it.
Tuesday's speech is the most political of the two the King will give in the United States. Buckingham Palace has leaked that he will make a historical reflection, including moments when the two countries have disagreed. But the King will affirm that the foundations of "democratic, legal, and social traditions" are such that, "time and again, the two countries have always found a way to reconnect." The spirit of friendship on both sides of the Atlantic must be one of "reconciliation and renewal." Charles III will not be able to ignore the events of Saturday at the Hilton in Washington, of course. Perhaps to emphasize that violence has no place in discussion and political differences?
Officially, the second day of the King and Queen's visit to the United States will begin at 10:35 AM – local time – with the reception on the South Portico of the White House, followed by the signing of the guest book and the exchange of gifts in the Blue Room. At 11:40 AM, Trump and Charles III will hold a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, without the press, perhaps to avoid scenes that everyone has in mind. In parallel, the First Lady and the Queen will participate with students in an activity on the shared history between the United States and the United Kingdom. After the aforementioned speech in Congress, the presidential couple will once again receive the monarchs at seven in the evening for a private visit to the residence and a state dinner in the East Room. At least for the duration of the royal visit, Keir Starmer knows he will not receive the President's attacks from Truth Social.