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Donald Trump loves pomp and pageantry. He loves being wined and dined by royals in plush, luxurious surroundings with historic and cultural weight behind them — a stark contrast to the nouveau riche environs to which he’s most accustomed. Palaces have seen centuries of history played out in their walls, but Trump Tower or Mar-a-Lago? Forget about it.
More than that, Trump relishes the feeling of legitimacy that comes from being invited to attend these kinds of state events. During his first term as president, he reportedly loved being invited to meet the then-queen Elizabeth II as part of a U.K. push to normalize relations with the bombastic and unpredictable president after his election. It’s good news for Trump, who gets to do it all over again with King Charles III.
According to a Mirror exclusive, Charles and Camilla will be heading to the U.S. and Canada as part of a “charm offensive” aimed at Trump. A U.K. government source described that the trip will “undoubtedly be the biggest tour of the King’s reign so far, a huge undertaking for a British monarch to be hosted in the United States.” While the visit is expected to be about establishing solid diplomatic ties for the U.K. with an aggressive and unpredictable president intent on alienating his allies and threatening his neighbor, this is an instance where Charles will be wearing his Canadian crown and acting as the King of Canada as a show of support for one of his kingdoms in an official capacity.
Charles, as the King of Canada, is “keen” to travel to his overseas realm to push diplomacy from “both sides” in his dual roles as King of the United Kingdom and King of Canada. A reminder, perhaps, that Canada is not just a smaller country that can be bullied as Trump sees fit but that it has allies in the 14 other kingdoms that share its king — as well as the rest of the world. While the government source admits that there are no “current dates” for the tour, the importance of the tour is such that it’s likely to happen unless something extreme happens in the meantime.
The government source speaking to the Mirror goes on to say that the tour “is a great opportunity for both sides to reaffirm the special relationship in such an important and historic year for the U.S.,” which is diplomatic speak for “we know he’s crazy, so let’s minimize the impact.” Trump is reportedly very susceptible to this kind of soft diplomacy approach, so there’s reason for hope when it comes to a softening of his rhetoric against Canada and for U.S./U.K. relations.
Trump is a big fan of Charles, who according to Palace sources, occasionally sends hand-written letters to Trump and Melania as part of a wider diplomatic strategy — something they apparently both love. Trump was also won over by Prince William’s “handsome” appearance when he met the prince, so it seems like there’s a lot of space for a “charm offensive” designed to get Trump to pull back on some of his more aggressive whims with a bit of pomp and ceremony. Let’s see if it works.