Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is set to “use all of his soft power” to enlist King Charles’s help with UK-US relations, following Donald Trump’s victory.
The President elect became the 47th US leader following his victory against Kamala Harris, and will re-enter the White House in January.
In behind-the-scenes footage of Trump during his election campaign, the incoming President reflected on his relationship with the Royal Family, sharing photos of his last state visit.
Trump said of his bond with the royals: “This was with Queen Elizabeth, she was always fantastic by the way. These images, I mean who has images like this? It’s a piece of history at the highest level.
King Charles could be brought in to help ease tensions between Keir Starmer and Donald Trump
PA
“Here’s Charles, so beautiful. Hopefully he’s going to be well because he’s a really good person. Camilla is fantastic. You get to know them so well.”
Speaking to GB News, political editor of HuffPost UK Kevin Schofield claimed that the UK’s relationship with the US “won’t be plain sailing” due to previous remarks made by Starmer and his cabinet, but the King may be able to help ease tensions.
Schofield explained: “There is a familial link there for Donald Trump with Great Britain, however, it is going to be quite rocky.
“We’ve heard a lot of warm words so far from Keir Starmer, but it’s not so long ago that the Republican Party and the Trump campaign were accusing Labour of election interference, and we know what David Lammy and other members of the cabinet said about Donald Trump when he was President the last time. These things can’t be unsaid, so it’s not going to be plain sailing.”
The incoming US President could be visiting the UK for his first state visit with Charles as King
PA
Noting the King’s role in helping the UK fix their relationship with the Trump administration, GB News host Anne Diamond claimed that Starmer is “thinking ahead” with a “clever move”.
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Anne told GB News: “Keir Starmer is clearly thinking ahead, ignoring Nigel Farage’s offer to help ameliorate things, and going for instead the Royal Family. It’s quite a clever move.”
Agreeing with Anne, Schofield added: “Donald Trump admires the Royal Family, he likes being flattered, and there’s no greater flattery, really, than a state visit.
“He loves all the pomp and ceremony, and he’d really get a kick out of meeting King Charles again, I’m sure. And yet, Labour and the government will be using all the soft power, all the leverage at its disposal to try and make sure that relations with the White House are as good as possible.”
When asked by host Stephen Dixon whether Donald Trump will “have the same affection for King Charles as he did for Queen Elizabeth”, Schofield claimed that because the Republican “loves powerful men”, he will “hold King Charles in high regard”.
Kevin Schofield told GB News that there is ‘nothing more flattering’ to Trump than a ‘state visit’
GB News
Schofield said: “He does hold Charles in very high regard. He does like powerful men, and obviously the King is the head of state, so he has a powerful mind. He’s not a politician, he doesn’t set the laws of this country – however, Donald Trump does admire powerful men.
“There’s no doubt at all that he would get a kick out of meeting him. If there’s one way to ensure that you get Donald Trump on side, it is to appeal to his ego.
“And I think laying on a state visit, all the pomp and ceremony that that goes with it, there’s no doubt at all that that would be a good thing as far as Britain is concerned.”
