US President Donald Trump says the planned state visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla could help mend relations between his country and the United Kingdom (UK).
Speaking in a phone interview with the BBC on Thursday, Trump said the visit would “absolutely” improve ties while describing the monarch as “a fantastic man” and “a brave man”.
“I know him well; I’ve known him for years… they would absolutely be a positive,” the US president said.
King Charles and the queen are scheduled for a four-day state visit to the US from April 27 to 30, with the royal couple expected to meet Trump at the White House.
The King will also hold a private meeting with the US president and address Congress.
After engagements in Washington DC, the royals will travel to New York, Virginia and Bermuda before returning to the UK.
The UK foreign office said the trip is part of activities marking the 250th anniversary of US independence and aims to celebrate a partnership built on “shared prosperity, security and history”.
Trump also weighed in on his relationship with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, saying the UK leader could only “recover” politically if he adopts stricter immigration policies and expands oil and gas production in the North Sea.
The US president has repeatedly urged the UK to increase extraction in the region and criticised its stance on the Iran conflict.
In a recent post on Truth Social, Trump described the appointment of Lord Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US as “a really bad pick”, but added that Starmer still had “plenty of time to recover”.
Asked whether their relationship could improve, Trump said only if Starmer opens the North Sea and tightens his immigration policies.
On the Iran war, Trump said the US did not rely on support from allies, including the UK, but suggested their involvement would have been desirable.
He added that his calls for allied support were “more of a test”.
“I didn’t need them at all, but they should’ve been there… I didn’t need anybody,” he said, claiming the US had significantly weakened Iran’s military, Trump added.
