The monarch also appears likely to emphasize Britain’s commitment to the two nations’ defense ties — which include NATO moves to fend off Russia in the Arctic — as the president questions the alliance’s future. A trip to Arlington Cemetery is on the agenda, and Starmer’s official spokesperson said Friday: “We’ve got one of the most important security and defense relationships, if not the closest that the world has ever seen.”
While British officials downplayed a leaked Pentagon email Friday suggesting the U.S. could review its recognition of U.K. sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, any mention of it by Trump during the visit would put rocket boosters under the story. And there are deeper questions about defense — among them, how quickly Britain will accelerate toward its target (influenced by Trump) of spending 3.5 percent of GDP on defense by 2035.
Former NATO Secretary-General George Robertson said last week that the future relationship with the U.S. would depend on Britain showing it is moving decisively toward the 3.5 percent goal. “Discussions I’ve had since last week indicate that that is the direction that they’re going in,” he told the Chatham House foreign affairs think tank in London.
Charles will have Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper by his side for almost the entire four-day visit, including traveling on the same plane. She plans to break off from the royal delegation to discuss hard politics with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday.
The king’s messaging is a bit subtler. During Trump’s U.K. state visit in September, First Lady Melania Trump wore a yellow dress while Queen Camilla wore a blue dress, the colors of the Ukrainian flag. “That didn’t happen by accident,” said a person with knowledge of that visit.
The royals’ style is “show don’t tell,” added Simon Case, who has held jobs in both wings of the British establishment — first as Prince William’s private secretary, then as head of the U.K. civil service. He added: “Royal visits use symbolism and images to communicate meaning more than they use words.”