Donald Trump hails 'wonderful' King as he takes fresh swipe at Keir Starmer over 'tragic mistakes'

Ben McCaffrey
Wed, 15 Apr 2026 08:26:46 +0000

Donald Trump has hailed the "wonderful" King Charles ahead of his State Visit later this month, while fuming at Sir Keir Starmer over making "tragic mistakes".

The King and Queen are due to embark on a four-day trip to the US between April 27 and 30, marking the 250th anniversary of American independence.

King Charles and Queen Camilla will join the American people in marking this significant milestone.

But it comes at a time when the so-called "special relationship" between US and UK is on ice, with the US President repeatedly publicly calling out the Prime Minister for his hesitation on joining the war in Iran.

Last night, the US President hit out at Sir Keir again, telling Sky News the Prime Minister had made a "tragic mistake in closing the North Sea oil", and "a tragic mistake on immigration".

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And when asked about his thoughts on the special relationship, he simply replied: "With who?"

He also expressed his disappointment with the UK, which failed to join the war with Iran "when we needed them".

Meanwhile, he said King Charles was a "great gentleman".

"I've known him for a long time. He's a wonderful, wonderful person," President Trump said.

He insisted his opinion and strained relationship with the Prime Minister would "not at all" overshadow or impact the King's visit.

Key details on the historic royal visit were released by Buckingham Palace on Tuesday evening.

The royal couple will visit three locations: Washington DC, New York and Virginia.

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Upon arrival in the American capital, the King and Queen will receive an informal greeting from President Trump and the First Lady. The two couples will share a private tea together.

Later in the programme, the King and Queen will attend a Garden Party with guests set to represent the many connections linking Britain and America.

A formal welcoming ceremony will take place at the White House later during the visit, where the King will hold a bilateral meeting with President Trump, as the Queen and First Lady undertake a separate engagement together.

The royal couple will then spend a day in New York visiting community initiatives, such as the 9/11 Memorial, ahead of the 25th anniversary.

They will later visit Virginia, before travelling to Bermuda - the King's first trip as Sovereign to any British Overseas Territory.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said that the visit "recognises the challenges the United Kingdom, the United States, and our Allies face across the world; this visit is a moment to reaffirm and renew our bilateral ties as we address those challenges together, in the UK's national interest."