As the Iran war tests the ties between the United States and the United Kingdom, King Charles III is all set for this trip to Washington DC. Amid the tensions in ties between the long-standing allies, reports have stated that the British monarch is set to meet US President Donald Trump in a closed-door meeting.
Unlike Trump’s previous meetings with foreign dignitaries, the meeting with King Charles is said to be an “off-camera” one.
Off-camera meet amid diplomatic tensions
According to a Guardian report, British officials have pushed for the Oval Office meeting to remain offline, fearing a Zelensky-like clash with the US president.
Last year, the Ukrainian president was berated by Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio during his visit to the US. Much to Zelensky’s humiliation, the meeting was being live broadcast across the globe.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, The Guardian reported that King Charles will be posing with cameras before his bilateral meeting with Trump, but will not be making any comments.
Another reason for the off-camera meeting is the current tensions between Washington and London, especially after UK PM Keir Starmer stated that they will not be joining the war against Iran.
Due to the UK’s refusal, Trump has launched many verbal attacks on the Labour leader, even more after the UK refused to allow the use of its military bases in the Middle East region.
Also Read | ‘That’s ok, don’t need them any longer’: Trump rebukes Starmer after UK mulls carriers to Iran
King Charles to make rare Congress address
During his four-day visit to the US, King Charles III will also be addressing the US Congress, making him the first British monarch to do so since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Queen Elizabeth addressed the Congress in 1991, highlighting the shared history of the US and the UK and the democratic values of both nations. During his Tuesday address, the King is expected to draw reference to his mother’s speech, especially as the war against Iran tests their relations.
Also Read | UK PM Starmer rules out any NATO mission in Hormuz Strait after Donald Trump’s ‘very bad’ warning
As per Reuters, citing palace sources, the king’s speech is expected to be around 20 minutes and touch on several issues such as NATO, the ongoing conflict with Iran, Ukraine war and more.
The king’s address is scheduled to begin at 3pm EDT (1900 GMT).
