‘I feel sorry for the King!’ Green Party leader slams Keir Starmer for ‘parading’ monarch before Donald Trump

Dorothy Reddin
Mon, 27 Apr 2026 17:38:45 +0000

Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party, has expressed sympathy for King Charles over his trip to meet President Donald Trump in the United States, placing responsibility for the visit squarely on the Prime Minister.

Speaking in Newcastle, Mr Polanski criticised the decision to send the monarch across the Atlantic.

"I actually feel really sorry for the King, that he's been paraded around as some sort of privilege for Donald Trump," he said.

The Green leader described the royal visit as an "awful parade" and questioned why Keir Starmer had arranged for the King to travel to America.

Security concerns have intensified following what the White House described as an attempted assassination of the president, reigniting debate about whether the royal couple should proceed with the trip.

Mr Polanski urged perspective on the relationship with the American president, highlighting a recent social media post from Mr Trump.

"Just a couple of weeks ago, Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, his social media platform, 'An entire civilisation could be wiped out this evening, it doesn't have to happen, but it probably could'," he said.

The Green leader argued such rhetoric disqualified Trump from being considered a British ally.

"That's not a man we should consider our ally or in a special relationship with," Mr Polanski stated.

He called for sanctions against the president rather than diplomatic warmth, saying Mr Trump should be condemned rather than courted.

Mr Polanski directly challenged the Prime Minister's approach to the American leader.

"Why is Keir Starmer so obsequious to Donald Trump?" he asked.

The Green Party leader acknowledged that maintaining diplomatic channels with Washington remained important, stating that Britain should naturally engage with the president on various matters.

However, he distinguished necessary diplomacy and the symbolism of a royal visit.

"Sending King Charles over there to meet him, as if he's some sort of friend, or some sort of ally, will be difficult for a lot of British people to watch," Mr Polanski said.

He suggested many would question why Starmer had made this particular choice.

Beyond the specific visit, Mr Polanski made clear his broader opposition to the institution of monarchy itself: "I personally have got no time for the monarchy."

The Green leader argued the Royal Family represented a poor symbol during a period of significant wealth disparity across Britain.

He pointed to the contrast between the growing fortunes of the wealthy and the struggles faced by ordinary workers.

"You have rich people are getting richer than they've ever been before, while people are struggling and nurses are queuing up at food banks," Mr Polanski said.

He described Britain as among the world's wealthiest nations yet plagued by mass inequality.