Washington, DC, April 29 (ANI): King Charles III playfully ribbed President Donald Trump at a White House state dinner Tuesday, quipping that without British intervention in North America, Americans might be speaking French.
The remark came as both leaders celebrated the strength of the UK–US “special relationship,” and as a retort to Trump’s earlier claim at the World Economic Forum that without the United States, Europeans would be “speaking German and a little Japanese.” “You recently commented, Mr President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German. Dare I say that if it wasn’t for us, you’d be speaking French,” the King said, drawing loud laughter.
Keeping a humorous tone, Charles made self-deprecating references to history, noting Britain’s 1814 Burning of Washington: “We British, of course, made our own attempt at real estate redevelopment of the White House.” He also joked that the evening was “a very considerable improvement on the Boston Tea Party,” alluding to the 1773 protest against British taxation.
Trump, who has expressed admiration for the monarchy, returned the humor and praised the King’s address to Congress, saying, “He got the Democrats to stand — I’ve never been able to do that.”
Marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, Charles expressed thanks for the nations’ evolved ties and said they had built “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.” In his earlier congressional speech, he stressed the deep cultural and historical foundations of the trans-Atlantic bond and urged against becoming inward-looking. (ANI)
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