King Charles arrives in Washington for state visit fraught with tension

Relations between the two allies have been bruised by Trump’s public criticism of Britain’s refusal to back military action against Iran. In recent weeks the president has derided the prime minister, Keir Starmer, as “no Winston Churchill”, while leaked Pentagon discussions about revisiting US support for British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands have deepened unease.

Yet Trump, who places an unusual emphasis on the diplomatic role of monarchs in Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East, has carefully separated his admiration for the king from his frustrations with the government. He has repeatedly described Charles as “a great man” and “a friend”, and suggested the royal couple’s presence could help steady relations between the two countries.

Christian Turner, the British ambassador to the US, told CBS’s Face the Nation programme on Sunday: “We had a small difference of opinion in 1776. We’ve been through that. We’ve come a very long way and that, in a way, for me, is what is so enduring about these relationships. It’s that we’ve had differences. Thatcher to Reagan, Roosevelt with Churchill, actually, over how to handle Stalin. These are moments in the relationship that actually it endured because it is so deep on security.”

However, the continuing scandal surrounding the king’s younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and his links to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, have again surfaced ahead of the tour.

Ro Khanna, a Democratic congressman, is convening Epstein survivors on Capitol Hill on Tuesday and urging the king to meet them. He said: “The British people have actually been very strong on this Epstein matter, demanding accountability and justice – stronger than the American government in terms of taking action. So the king doesn’t have to get into any details of his brother’s case but it’s just standing with survivors and calling for accountability around the world.”

The British journalist Emily Maitlis said on the News Agents podcast she had been told that, until two weeks ago, Queen Camilla was “very keen” to meet victims of Epstein alongside Melania Trump. Maitlis added: “She said, ‘I’ve spent my life fighting for women’s voices, I’ve spent my life fighting for victims, we will find a way to do it.’”

But palace officials have made clear there will be no meetings with Epstein survivors during the trip, citing legal concerns over ongoing investigations in the US and Britain.

Charles has visited the US 19 times but this is his first state visit to the country since becoming king in 2022. His mother made four state visits to the country.