Kamal Ghorui
King Charles III will travel to the United States in late April for his first state visit as monarch, Buckingham Palace confirmed on Tuesday, even as the trip draws criticism in Britain against the backdrop of the ongoing Iran conflict.The visit, which will include Queen Camilla, is being framed by the palace as an effort to reinforce bilateral ties at a moment of strain between London and Washington. The trip coincides with the US marking 250 years of independence and will be followed by a separate visit to Bermuda, a British Overseas Territory.This comes although tensions between in the so-called “special relationship” of the nations have sharpened in recent weeks, with Donald Trump publicly criticising prime minister Keir Starmer over Britain’s stance on the US-Israel military campaign against Iran. Trump has accused Starmer of failing to offer sufficient support, particularly after London initially declined to allow US aircraft to operate from UK bases for strikes on Iran.Domestic opposition in the UK has also surfaced. Senior Labour MP Emily Thornberry has suggested postponing the visit, citing the risk of diplomatic awkwardness during an active conflict, while Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey questioned the optics of proceeding.Still, the British monarchy’s diplomatic role, often described as “soft power”, is seen by officials as a stabilising channel in relations with Trump, who has consistently expressed admiration for the royal family.In a statement announcing the visit, Trump on Truth Social said, “Melania and I are pleased to announce that Their Majesties, the King and Queen of the United Kingdom, will visit the United States for a historic state visit from April 27-30th, which will include a banquet dinner at the White House on the evening of April 28th.”“This momentous occasion will be even more special this year, as we commemorate the 250th anniversary of our great country. I look forward to spending time with the King, whom I greatly respect,” he added.The upcoming trip will mark the first state visit to the US by a British monarch since Elizabeth II travelled there in 2007. It also follows Trump’s own high-profile state visits to the UK, including one hosted by the late queen in 2019 and another by Charles last year.
