King Charles III demonstrated the power of soft diplomacy during his state visit to the United States, charming both Democrats and Republicans in a speech to Congress on Tuesday. Despite ongoing tensions between the U.K. and the U.S., including trade tariffs and disagreements over military action, the King's address helped smooth over rough patches in the relationship.
An Unlikely Friendship
While superficially they seem worlds apart, King Charles III and U.S. President Donald Trump have established an ongoing close friendship. The two are close in age and both live in the fishbowl of public life, suffering the consequences of constant scrutiny. Charles has experienced first-hand the dangers of such a fraught existence, having survived several attempts on his life, as did his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. Princess Anne, his sister, was the subject of a brutal kidnap attempt, and Lord Louis Mountbatten, Charles' uncle and mentor, was murdered by an IRA bomb. Similarly, Trump has faced assassination attempts, including a recent attack. Despite this, they both pushed on with the pomp and ceremony of the state visit, demonstrating that the business of government must continue.
Addressing a Fractured World
In his address to Congress, Charles did not speak specifically about Canada or his role as head of state of that country. Instead, he emphasized the importance of global alliances such as NATO and the Commonwealth in a fractured world. He said, "I pray with all my heart that our alliance will continue to defend our shared values, with our partners in Europe and the Commonwealth, and across the world, and that we ignore the clarion calls to become ever more inward-looking." His words resonated with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
Soft Diplomacy in Action
The King's charm offensive included a meeting with Trump in the Oval Office and the speech to Congress, which helped ease the rocky relationship between Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Apart from trade irritants, Trump was angered by Starmer's decision not to join U.S. military action in the Strait of Hormuz. However, Charles's display of soft diplomacy proved effective. Trump is fond of saying he holds all the cards, but this week, the King held all the trumps.
