King Charles’ Charm Will Be Put to the Test After Donald Trump’s Latest Move
For King Charles, 2025 was a year of exerting and building his soft power, which the new monarchy has mastered, as evident in the many state visits the King hosted. The strategy for 2026 appears no different, with Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Kate Middleton set to travel to the US for its 250th anniversary. However, Donald Trump seems to have thrown a wrench into the works, with a fixation that will add sand to all the well-oiled machinery.
At the heart of the issue is his timing. Charles' travel plans to the States in April to commemorate the Declaration of Independence mark a symbolic point in the relationship between the Anglo nations, even though the details of the trip have yet to be confirmed. William, meanwhile, will travel with his family to join the Fourth of July celebrations.
Under normal conditions, such visits would not raise any eyebrows. The problem is Trump’s increasing rhetoric about Greenland, a Danish territory with home rule. Threats about this potential resource site may have been empty talk until this week, when a spokesperson for the White House made it clear that force is not ruled out. “The President and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal. Utilizing the US military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal.”
“Geopolitically, the implications are clear. In any bid to take control of Greenland, such ambitions would undermine the will of the people, challenge Danish sovereignty, and threaten to split the NATO Alliance, to which Denmark belongs,” he said. This question comes rather close to home for the British monarchy, not to mention Charles’ claim to have made himself so useful to the world’s politicians. This is one of his first major successes since ascending to the throne.
Last year, the King hosted Trump at Windsor Castle, unfurling the red carpet treatment in what constituted the second historic state visit. Then, the very next day, Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer finalised the $200 billion technology and prosperity agreement. This constituted a victory for the diplomacy of the British government — and, incidentally, for the King's power of influence through the art of saying nothing.
This achievement seems less certain now. The US has since stalled $42 billion of the promised funds because of the lack of progress made regarding trade barriers. Under the mounting pressure of economic constraints, there could again arise a temptation at Westminster to use the monarchy for the purpose. However, to do so while facing a trade tariff threat from Trump in a fellow European monarchy would put Charles in a very tricky situation.
Valentine Low, author of Power and the Palace, thinks so. He says Charles would listen if concerns were brought up through Denmark's King Frederik X. "I think if it got to the stage where the Danish Royal Family were voicing concerns, either publicly or privately, about this, I think Charles would take that seriously," Low said to Newsweek.
However, the catch, and this is where it gets interesting, is no less than constitutional. “And if Keir Starmer still wanted him to go over for the anniversary celebrations, Charles would feel torn,” Low said. “But ultimately, his first duty would have to be to Keir Starmer, to the government, because it is his government. I don’t see it getting to that stage,” he said.