King Charles was given a replica of US President Dwight D Eisenhower’s ceremonial sword during last month’s State Visit to the UK.
President Donald Trump had intended to gift the monarch one of his predecessor's original sabres but was blocked by doing so by the historian in charge of the antique, who has now left his role.
Todd Arrington, the director of the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Kansas, quit last week after he claimed to American media outlets that he was instructed to either step down voluntarily or face dismissal.
The library is found in Abilene, Kansas, the childhood home of Dwight D Eisenhower, who commanded Allied forces during the Second World War before serving as America's 34th president from 1953 to 1961.
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The controversy arose when the Trump administration requested an original sword from the museum's collection to present during the president's September state visit to Britain.
Mr Arrington declined to release the artefact, citing federal regulations that protect such items as government property.
His stance reportedly frustrated certain administration officials, including James Byron, who serves as Special Assistant to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and currently manages the National Archives and Records Administration.
The State Department had assembled various gift options for President Trump and the First Lady to select from for their historic second state visit to the UK last month.
King Charles was given replica sword by Donald Trump after now ousted historian refused to allow original to leave US
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A military veteran with extensive experience in federal historical preservation, Mr Arrington maintained that the museum's artefacts had become federal property and could not be transferred.
Despite his refusal to hand over the original artefact, Arrington collaborated with officials to locate an alternative solution.
He successfully helped secure a replica sword from West Point, the military academy where Eisenhower began his career.
The substitute gift was ultimately presented to King Charles III during the Windsor Castle banquet on September 17.
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President Trump hoped to gift the King one of President President Dwight D Eisenhower's ceremonial swords
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Buckingham Palace later confirmed that the monarch received a replica rather than an original piece.
“The day that the president gave the sword to the king, I got a message from my boss's boss saying: 'The sword has been presented. It all went great. You did a great job. Thank you for all your help,'" he told the Kansas Reflector.
The circumstances surrounding Mr Arrington's departure remain unclear, with the former director expressing bewilderment about the decision.
"I never had any indication that anyone thought I'd done anything wrong. So what happened is a mystery to me,” he told reporters.
Mr Arrington's decision is believed to have angered some in the Trump administration
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Mr Arrington emphasised that no one from the White House had directly communicated dissatisfaction regarding the sword matter.
“At no time did anyone express to me that the president or the first lady had anything to do with this," he explained.
Sources suggested additional factors may have contributed to his removal, including discussions about constructing a new education centre at the library and resource allocation between presidential museums and private foundations.
He had been preparing initiatives for America's 250th anniversary celebrations and overseeing production of a new film for the museum before his unexpected exit.