Donald Trump offers toast to 'special relationship' as he thanks King Charles for 'one of the highest honours of my life'

Donald Trump thanks King Charles for 'one of the highest honours of my life' in state visit |

POOL

Gabrielle Wilde

By Gabrielle Wilde


Published: 17/09/2025

- 21:13

Updated: 17/09/2025

- 22:07

Donald Trump gave a speech the State Banquet following King Charles

President Donald Trump has thanked King Charles for bestowing on him "one of the highest honours of my life" in a second state visit.

The US leader spoke following King Charles' speech at the State Banquet, where he praised Mr Trump's "commitment" to finding solutions to world conflicts.


Mr Trump is the first US President to be invited to the UK for a second state visit and he joked that he "hopes he will be the last."

Beginning his speech, the US President said: "Your Majesty, Melania and I are equally grateful to you and Queen Camilla for your extraordinary graciousness.

Donald Trump giving his speech

Donald Trump gave a speech at the state banquet

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"And to William and Kate, thank you so much it has been so great being with you today. Thank you so much.

"It is a singular privilege to be the first American President welcomed here for a second state visit, that's a first and maybe it will be the last time. I hope it is actually.

"This is truly one of the highest honours of my life. I have such respect for you and such respect for your country."

He continued, praising the King and the country, saying: "His Majesty the King has epitomised the fortitude, nobility and the spirit of the British monarchy and the British people.

"He's dedicated himself to preserving the glory and unique character of this Kingdom, restoring life to the rivers and streams, supporting the works of its artists and composers, planting trees and gardens in its countryside.

"And I just visited one of the most beautiful I've ever seen that you just completed. And protecting the architectural integrity of cities, villages and towns.

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"He has uplifted the poor, cared for rural farmers, and tended to wounded veterans like nobody else. I'll tell you that. I just stood in line and shook about 150 hands.

"And the King knew every single person and every single company, and some of them had bad names like XYZ, and he knew every one of them, or at least I think he did, because nobody was complaining. I was very impressed with that.

"I just want to say that His Majesty has also raised a remarkable son in His Royal Highness Prince of Wales, really amazing.

"We've gotten to know you and I think you're going to have an unbelievable success in future. Melania and I are delighted to visit again with Prince William and to see Her Royal Highness Princess Catherine so radiant and so healthy and so beautiful. It's really great honour. Thank you.

Melania and Camilla

Donald Trump thanked the King and Queen for hosting him

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"Many years ago, His Majesty opened his archives to a biographer. Among the documents was a letter from 1993 in which he described the patriotism and guided as many projects.

"He wrote that he was 'entirely motivated by a desperate desire to put 'the Great' back into Great Britain, the finest tradition of British sovereigns. He's given his whole heart, everything he's got, to those parts of Britain that are beyond the realm of mirror legislation.

"It's not easy. But which define its essence and its virtue, its harmony and its soul. It's an amazing calling. And there's nobody that's answered that calling like you have.

"If humanity speaks, writes, thinks and praises the language born on these aisles and perfected in the pages of Shakespeare and Dickens and Falkin, Lewis, Orwell and Kipling, who are incredible people, unbelievable people like we have rarely seen before, probably won't see again.

"The lionhearted people of this Kingdom defeated Napoleon, unleashed the Industrial Revolution, destroyed slavery, and defended civilization In the darkest days of fascism and communism.

"The British gave the world the Magna Carta, the modern Parliament, and Francis Bacon scientific method. They gave us the works locked Hobbs, Smith, Burke, Newton, and Blackstone. The legal, intellectual, cultural and political traditions of this Kingdom have been among the highest achievements of mankind there has really never been anything like it.

"The British Empire laid the foundations of law, liberty, free speech and individual rights virtually everywhere the Union Jack has ever flown, including a place called America.

"You know that place very well, don't you? His Majesty spoke eloquently about the bond which inspired Sir Winston Churchill.

\u200bDonald Trump

Donald Trump was full of praise for The King

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"And this is in the Oval Office right now, The beautiful bust of Winston Churchill, to coin the phrase special relationship. But seen from Americanized, the word special does not begin to do it justice.

"We're joined by history, by love and language, and by transcendent ties of culture, tradition, ancestry, and destiny.

"We're like two notes in one chord or two verses of the Saint Paul, each beautiful on its own but really meant to be played together.

"The bond of kinship and identity between America and the United Kingdom is priceless and eternal. It's irreplaceable and unbreakable.

"And we are, as a country as you're now, doing unbelievably well.

"We had a very sick country one year ago, and today I believe we're the hottest country anywhere in the world. In fact, nobody's even questioning it.

"But we owe so much of that to you and the footing that you gave us when we started together. We've done more good for humanity than any two countries in all of history.

"Together, we must defend the exceptional heritage that makes us who we are, and we must continue to stand for the values and the people of the English speaking world.

"And we do indeed stand for that.

"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, a very, very special man and also a very, very special Queen.

"Thank you very much."