President Donald Trump has been hit with backlash for a "nasty backstab" of King Charles as he appeared to inadvertently imply the monarch did not work hard.
The US leader last met the King during his two-day State Visit to the UK in September, which he called "truly one of the highest honours of my life".
President Trump lavished King Charles and the Royal Family with praise during the trip, which both sides considered a great success.
During his speech at the State Banquet, he hailed the monarch as: "Epitomising the fortitude, nobility, and the spirit of the British monarchy and the British people."
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Upon the conclusion of their time together, President Trump shook Charles’s hand and told news cameras: "He's a great gentleman. He's a great King."
Despite the warmth of September’s visit, the US leader has been criticised by royal fans after he appeared to inadvertently criticise King Charles while addressing the No Kings protests across American cities.
Responding to claims of protestors put to him by reporters that his conduct was akin to a monarch, Mr Trump responded: "I'm Not a King, I Work My A** Off' to Make US Great!"
The Air Force One exchange quickly stoked the ire of some royal fans, who felt the comment implied a King did not work hard.
Donald Trump has stoked the ire of royal fans after an inadvertent 'dig' at King Charles
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Taking to social media, one fumed: "Kings don't work???? that a nasty backstab to your good mate Charles!!!"
A second questioned: "Is that a dig at Charles?"
Political pundit Dan Hodges, responding to the quote directly, said: "OK. But that's what our King does."
"The King works far harder than Donald Trump, who nobody could call a workaholic," another sniped.
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President Trump called September's State Visit ' one of the highest honours of my life' and Charles a 'great King'
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While it is highly unlikely Mr Trump had meant any offence to King Charles with the comment, there was some element of friction during his visit to the UK.
While speaking with tech chiefs who had accompanied him to Britain, the US President is understood to have said: "I've had a great time, I've seen so many beautiful things."
"I have seen every memorial and they’re beautiful but now I’ve had enough," he added, referencing the tours of royal collections and exhibitions he had been treated to.
Later, he promised to invite King Charles to the US for his own State Visit but without subjecting him to as many sightseeing opportunities.
Both the King and Mr Trump praised each other during the historic occasion
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"You know what? I'm going to treat you to a state dinner, you can come to the US and I'm not going to drag you round the Lincoln Memorial.
"You can just have dinner and then go to bed," President Trump quipped.
While Mr Trump may have joked about his exhaustion, by all accounts, the State Visit was a huge success in charming the American delegation.
"It was a really fantastic trip. The British know how to do this perfectly," a senior White House official is understood to have said.
In their praise, they also appeared to let slip an invitation for a State Visit to the US would be extended with the comment: "They set the bar high for their trip to see us."
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