Washington DC [US], April 29 (ANI): During the state visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the United States, President Donald Trump said he was “jealous” of the King’s speech and recalled his mother’s fondness for the Royal Family, including a reported “crush” on the then-Prince Charles.
At the White House greeting ceremony, Trump praised the weather and welcomed the Royal Couple, noting the memory of their visit to Windsor Castle with Melania. He told guests, “You’re going to have a wonderful short stay, but a stay nevertheless,” and added that the King’s address to Congress would make people “very envious of that beautiful accent of yours. Very elegant. He’s a very elegant man.” Trump later said, “He made a great speech! I was very jealous.”
Midway through his remarks, Trump compared his parents’ long marriage to his own, saying his mother Mary MacLeod and father Fred were married for 63 years and quipping that he and Melania “won’t be able to match” that record.
Trump also shared personal memories of his mother, who was born in Stornoway, Scotland, saying she “loved the Royal Family” and would be glued to television for royal ceremonies. “I also remember her saying very clearly, ‘Charles, look. Young Charles, he’s so cute.’ My mother had a crush on Charles. Can you believe it?” he said.
King Charles, speaking with characteristic poise, referenced shared naval history and presented Trump with a personal gift — the original bell from HMS Trump, a ship launched in 1944 that served with the 4th Submarine Squadron in Australia. “May it stand as a testimony to our nation’s shared history and shining future,” the King said.
Charles addressed a joint session of Congress — only the second British monarch to do so — and rejected any suggestion he was engaged in “some cunning rear-guard action,” according to The New York Times. He also spoke to issues touching both nations, noting that the vibrancy and freedom of both societies help support victims of “some of the ills that, so tragically, exist in both our societies today,” a likely reference to recent scandals that have affected both the Royal Family and, at times, the Trump administration.
Observers noted a more restrained tone from Trump before and during the visit: he did not invite a swarm of reporters into the Oval Office ahead of the meeting, nor did he publicly attack another ally in the Royal Couple’s presence.
The visit took place amid strained UK–US relations. The King pushed back implicitly at prior criticisms from Trump — including comments about UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Royal Navy — and emphasized environmental stewardship, praising “the natural wonders” of the United States and “our shared responsibility to safeguard nature,” contrasting with Trump’s earlier withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.
Trump has criticized NATO allies, including Starmer, over responses to issues such as the Strait of Hormuz, calling some partners “cowards.” He has also circulated media mocking Starmer, including sharing a UK sketch from Saturday Night Live that portrayed Starmer as uneasy about speaking to Trump. (ANI)
(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)
