Royal Fans Think Donald Trump ‘Backstabbed’ King Charles With His Latest Remark

King Charles and Donald Trump have always maintained a cordial relationship, with the US President once referring to the monarch as a 'Great King.' Their September state visit also went without a hiccup, with Charles reportedly pleased by the global optics it generated. So, royal watchers were surprised when Trump, during a recent outing, seemingly took a dig at the monarch and his work ethic. In a recent interview, he claimed he worked very hard, unlike kings, a statement seen by many as contradicting his earlier praise of Charles. 

Speaking to Fox News on October 19, Trump remarked, "I'm not a king. I work my a** off to make our country great, that's all it is. I'm not a king at all." The remark, many believed, insinuated that Charles was lazy and did not work hard enough. However, Trump's statements were actually meant as a direct response to the 'No Kings' protests, which are demonstrations against his political policies. The first of these protests took place on July 14, on the President’s 79th birthday. Its most recent protests were on October 18, during which 7 million Americans rallied across all 50 states to oppose Trump's rule. The movement reportedly adopted its name to push back against the idea of the President as a 'King,' criticizing his perceived authoritarianism. 

After Trump’s pointed statement went viral on X (formerly Twitter), royal watchers remained unconvinced and couldn't help but say the same thing. A royal fan remarked, "Kings don't work???? That's a nasty backstab to your good mate Charles!!!" In a similar vein, another echoed, "Lol, is that a dig at Charles?" Meanwhile, a netizen questioned, "Work...? Someone is going to have to explain this so-called 'work' he does." As the comments poured in, another quipped, "He’s right, kings don’t tweet this much."

However, given that just a day before his 'not a king' remark, Trump had posted a similar pointed video on his Truth Social handle, he most likely wasn't taking a swipe at Charles. The AI-generated clip depicted him as a crowned monarch piloting a fighter jet labeled 'King Trump,' dropping dirt on protesters. The video was set to Kenny Loggins' song Danger Zone from Top Gun. The backlash was immediate and severe, with many celebrities condemning it. According to The Guardian, Trump defended the video, dismissing the protests as insignificant and misrepresentative of American sentiment.

As for his relationship with Charles, the President has previously spoken highly of the monarch, gushing during his state banquet speech, "On behalf of all Americans, I offer a toast to one of the great friendships, to two great countries, and to His Majesty King Charles III, a very, very special man and also a very, very special Queen." He also highlighted the relationship between the US and UK, stating that their nations' bond and kinship is 'irreplaceable and unbreakable.'