When Donald Trump was voted out of office in 2020, most of the world turned its attention to the new US president, believing that Trump’s reign was over for good. As global leaders courted the new administration, the fickle world of politics moved on to the Biden years.
There was one relationship, though, that was carefully, quietly maintained.
The King, one of life’s great letter writers through his decades as Prince of Wales, kept up his personal correspondence with the former president, posting a hand-written missive every now and then to the delight of Trump and his wife Melania.
At the time, it was a gesture that came naturally, following in the footsteps of the late Queen who had shown how to keep up a lifelong relationship with US presidents.
Now, as Trump settles into the White House for a second term, that transatlantic hand of royal friendship between the President, King and, now, Prince William, may come to define the “special relationship” for a new era.
The Prince of Wales, described variously by Trump as a “good man”, “really very handsome” and doing a “fantastic job”, is set to be called upon for more presidential charming.
What was initially proposed as a brief encounter in Paris between President Trump and Prince William in December turned into a 40-minute meeting behind closed doors, with those on both sides rhapsodising about the “warmth” on show ever since.
Prince William, says a White House source, now holds a “really powerful, really important” influence in the future of the “special relationship”.
The timing couldn’t have been more crucial: a Left-wing Labour Government, a controversial new ambassador in Lord Mandelson and a series of unforced errors American sources politely call “missteps” have dented UK-US relations in recent months.
From tariffs, to the Chagos islands and defence spending, there has been no shortage of political differences. The UK is “out of line” on trade policies, Trump said earlier this month.
But, White House sources tell The Telegraph, the President’s instinctive affection for Britain remains. And that emerging relationship with Prince William is key.
The President would love a royal charm offensive, says one who knows him. “We would be mad not to utilise it”, says a Whitehall source.
This is the inside story of how the cracks in that “special relationship” came to be, and how the Royal family is set to be deployed on the most important “soft power” mission of the 21st century.
Unforced errors by Starmer’s Labour
President Trump and Sir Keir Starmer are not natural bedfellows. One, the populist figurehead of the Right-wing Make America Great Again movement he founded; the other a former state prosecutor, nicknamed “Mr Rules” and carrying a reputation for moderation.
But, it is understood, they actually get on rather well.
Conversations have been as warm as any others conducted by Trump with foreign leaders. The President claimed to “have a very good relationship” with Starmer, adding, “I like him a lot”. Starmer appears to be on course for a convivial reception from Trump when the pair meet in DC later this month.
Behind the scenes, though, things have not been so easy.
A string of unforced errors from the Labour government have been noticed and remembered within the White House, where sources use terms ranging from “disrespectful” to “incompetent” and “malicious” to describe how the last few months have unfolded.
Labour Party members and supporters openly campaigned against Trump, with nearly 100 of them flying to the US to canvass for Kamala Harris. Morgan McSweeney, Starmer’s chief of staff, was named in a federal complaint from Trump’s team accusing Labour of making “illegal foreign campaign contributions and interference in our elections” after he attended the Democratic National Convention last summer.
The muddled appointment of the new British ambassador to the United States, Lord Mandelson, has been handled in the least diplomatic way imaginable, according to sources, with the UK flatly ignoring requests to keep the popular Dame Karen Pierce, a career diplomat, in the role at least until the relationship with the Labour Government was on firmer footing.
Described approvingly in this newspaper as a “champagne-swigging, high-heel-wearing, feather boa-swathed diplomat” who is “always, always on top of her brief”, Pierce was well-liked in White House circles under both Joe Biden and Trump, and trusted by the President’s inner circle.
The relationship between the US and UK under her tenure, one source said, was “phenomenal”, with the move to replace her quickly labelled “puzzling”.
The White House, The Telegraph understands, learned of Lord Mandelson’s appointment via an enquiry from a reporter in December, after news leaked in Britain ahead of the official announcement later that month.
News of Lord Mandelson’s appointment as British ambassador to the US was leaked ahead of it’s official announcement – and greeted poorly by allies of President Trump – Heathcliff O’Malley
Remarkably, the new ambassador began his tenure by expressing regret for previously calling Trump a “danger to the world” and “little short of a white nationalist and racist”. Chris LaCivita, one of Trump’s closest campaign aides, called Mandelson a “moron” on the day his appointment was made public.
“Were they aware he’d made comments about the President?” one source wonders now. “Either they didn’t vet him, which is incompetent, or they didn’t care, which shows malice. I’m not sure either is great.”
Adding insult to injury was the fact that details of a phone call between Trump and Starmer before Christmas were leaked to a British newspaper in January. It was reported that the President had been “fixated” on the number of birds being killed by wind turbines and covered topics from his golf course in Scotland to his admiration of Prince William’s “modern” beard.
The President’s allies were left stung by the breach of trust from what was intended to be a private conversation and, worse, were unconvinced by a tale of it leaking via a junior staff member in the pub.
“That was a problem for us,” confirms a source close to the White House. “There have been a lot of missteps that didn’t have to happen.
“The biggest thing right now is figuring out how to make sure the relationship doesn’t go off track and we try to repair some of the damage. That is where I think the King and Prince William can really help.”
Enter the Royal family.
William ‘happy to play his role’
Trump’s affection for the British Royal family is well documented. His list of superlatives for the late Queen is too long to repeat; he keeps a photograph album of his encounters with the late monarch and her offspring on his jet.
The King is a “really good person”, he has said. Prince William “looked really nice, and I told him that”, the highest praise from a President who has described himself as “so good-looking”.
He has been clear where his sympathies lie in the very public family breakdown with the Sussexes, accusing Prince Harry of an “unforgivable” betrayal of the late Queen, and is said to respect and support the monarchy’s handling of the fallout. In recent days he said he had no plans to deport Prince Harry because “he has enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible.”
President Reagan and Queen Elizabeth rode horses together on the grounds of Windsor Castle in 1982 – Getty
Trump is said to admire the historic relationship between US presidents and British prime ministers, the Thatcher-Reagan partnership in particular. Queen Elizabeth II, for her part, was famously photographed riding through Windsor’s Home Park with Reagan, a symbol of that special relationship in action.
Trump is already “pretty close” to the King, says a source, after Charles undertook the then-Prince of Wales-level hosting duties during the 2019 state visit to Buckingham Palace. “A lot of people may not necessarily realise that.”
The current Prince of Wales has been building his own relationship with world leaders in recent years, in part thanks to his Earthshot Prize initiative which takes him around the globe to sit down with presidents (including Biden) and prime ministers, now at the request of the Government too.
The Prince “realises the important role he and his family play,” says a palace source. “It’s important that we’re not involved in day-to-day politics, but when the time is right and there’s an ask for support from His Majesty’s government, the Prince is happy to play his role and support where needed.”
“There is a definite willingness to support where there is an ask.”
Prince William, 42, and Trump, 78 might not seem like an obvious match. But those who have worked with him emphasise that William’s approach to meetings behind closed doors is much the same as the public sees out and about.
“He’s extremely authentic,” says one. “He’s extremely comfortable in his own skin. He brings that authenticity to whoever he’s meeting or sitting down with.”
The President, another source ventured, enjoyed the “banter” with the Prince and is “very fond” of the younger man.
“The President looks to the King, and now William, for things that are going on in the UK,” adds one familiar with their meetings.
There are limits to their common ground once their admiration for the Prince’s late grandmother and father has been covered. The Prince does not play golf and the President has shown no obvious interest in William’s beloved Aston Villa.
But the conversation, apparently, flowed during their encounter in December, skipping beyond small talk to their thoughts on the state of the modern world and their ideas to work in it.
King Charles and Queen Camilla (then Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall) invited Donald and Melania to Clarence House in 2019 – PA
The King would, of course, host any state visit along with Queen Camilla, who briefly became an online sensation for an enigmatic wink to her staff after a cup of tea with Donald and Melania in 2019.
While his health as he undergoes cancer treatment must be factored into any future planning, there is currently no impediment to the King travelling himself, sources insist, with the diary filling up as normal.
Just as then-Prince Charles and the late Queen worked in tandem, so his son and heir will play his part now. The Prince of Wales, customarily, would host a private meeting with a visiting head of state for a UK-based visit, and is often called upon to travel as the monarch’s representative.
Prince William will bring some fresh air to the long-standing relationship and diplomatic skills of his own, one source speculates.
“He is very popular on both sides of the pond, and that will be irresistible to Trump,” they said.
Personal approach from the royals
Starmer would be wise to have an invitation for Trump to visit Britain in his pocket when he meets the President later this month.
Indeed, “all options” for such a visit are currently on the table, says one person involved in the planning.
The best and biggest option is a full state visit, with its palace banquet, Horse Guards Parade welcome and grand speeches exchanged by the President and King. There are concerns that there is not enough time to pull off a “full-throated” trip in time to make a difference to UK-US relations during Trump’s four-year term.
Such an offer would make Trump the first elected leader to be offered two state visits since records began in 1954: the highest honour imaginable, given his last was only six years ago.
One Republican source believes Trump would be keen to address MPs in Parliament’s Westminster Hall, an honour afforded to Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan previously.
The Telegraph understands that Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons Speaker, is not opposed to an address in principle and would not try to block it as his predecessor Sir John Bercow did.
Easier, and more likely in the short term, is a “state-lite” visit, following a 2018 model which saw the President and First Lady take tea with the late Queen at Windsor Castle and inspect the Guard with her – but without the official banquet and speeches.
President Trump met with Queen Elizabeth on an official state visit in 2019 – although another ‘full’ state visit is unlikely in the short term – Getty
Such an option, sources say, could deploy the Royal family in a more personal capacity: an invitation to a private residence like Balmoral, say, or time “at home” away from the pomp and ceremony.
Officials are also discussing deploying either the Prince and Princess of Wales, if she is well enough, or the King and Queen to the US later in Trump’s term, giving him an incentive to maintain a good relationship with the UK in the meantime.
“We can offer the President the pomp here, but also offer the pomp there,” one source said.
The question of a royal visit is a matter of extreme sensitivity, and some officials are concerned that the King may reject an “obvious” attempt to use him as a diplomatic tool in trade talks, as Labour seeks to resume negotiations with the US.
The monarch’s view on hosting Trump in the UK or travelling to America himself is described as the “million dollar question” in Whitehall circles.
It is understood that the palace has not received any official requests and would work, as ever, on the advice of government.
Any major hosting duties would be more likely to happen at the end of this year, with a possible trip to the US in 2026 pitched to tie in with the 250th anniversary of its independence.
The Royal Visits Committee, on which representatives from Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace sit alongside Foreign Office officials, meets quarterly to discuss priorities, with no formal discussions yet.
Prince William is expected to play a key role in a royal visit to the US, possibly in 2026 – Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters
A Whitehall source says Prince William is likely to be heavily involved in any trip to the US.
While a decision will be made between the Foreign Office and the palaces, the “machinery” of royal hosting stands ready to be used.
Staff working at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle at the time of Trump’s visit in 2019 recall the President being very respectful to the late Queen and her household. “They didn’t make an enormous fuss about anything,” one said, approvingly, of the US delegation.
“[It was] very similar to any other state visit,” they added, other than a preference – agreed by Elizabeth II and her gardeners – to swap a carriage procession down the Mall for landing Marine One on the lawn of Buckingham Palace.
The Trump entourage was “very gracious,” says another.
Both palace and government treat the US presidency as “not the person, but the position – you have to pay respect to it,” according to a former courtier.
“The whole machinery of the palace, with the Royal family and everything that goes with it… when it kicks into gear it’s at its very best. When it’s doing things like this, that’s what it’s designed for.
“As much as people might think [the previous Trump visit] was all done under sufferance, it wasn’t.
“That role is very important and was seen as important by Her Late Majesty and therefore everyone took their lead from that.”
Trump “may have some extreme views but he’s smarter than most people think,” says one British source, who has met him.
Asked how the Royal family would approach another US state visit, a second former palace staff member said: “They’re very good at their jobs. They’ll do it. They will absolutely do what they are asked, it’s a really key part of the job and everyone knows that.”
Whichever option is offered, an American source said, “the President would love it and welcome the opportunity”
A balancing act
Others have raised tentative doubts about where the royals must draw the line.
While the Government is keen to make use of the Royal family, “if it looks transactional, it would be counterproductive” says a diplomatic source.
“You also can’t just play the Royal family to the US because it has consequences for the rest of the world.”
Officials will have to bear in mind the juggling act of Britain’s relationships with the Commonwealth, post-Brexit Europe, and other countries and monarchies around the world with which the UK has longstanding ties. Even Canada has not yet had a visit from its King since he acceded to the throne.
But Trump, says one source, is “more inclined to want a relationship with the UK than in other parts of the world. Making sure that he feels he’s being respected is important.”
There will be concerns from some quarters about aligning members of the Royal family – politically neutral, with favourable polling most world leaders would dream of – too closely with polarising public figures. But that, emphasises a former palace source, is the job: the US Presidency as office, not individual.
Those watching and working on plans on both sides of the Atlantic sound a note of caution about the limits of what this can practically achieve.
It is “highly unlikely to change Trump’s views on tariffs”, says Sally Bedell Smith, the royal historian based in America.
“How far can you take soft power? In terms of atmosphere and mood and ‘vibe shifts’, as everybody talks about now, it could have an impact.”
The King kept up a correspondence with Trump after he lost the 2020 US election – Jonathan Buckmaster/AFP
The King has a relationship with Trump dating back to the 1980s, when he had tea at Mar-a-Lago during a trip to Palm Beach. Trump genuinely looks forward to his letters.
According to Bedell Smith, along with the benefits of the personal connection being developed between Prince William and Trump, a visit to the US by the Waleses, who have not conducted an official tour in America together since 2011, would bring a “glamour factor and a novelty factor” to build on the fact they are “very popular here”.
Such touches could be Britain’s secret weapon amid a global race to forge relations with Trump. Prof Adam Smith, director of the Rothermere American Institute at the University of Oxford, warns that the approach of the Trump administration is not “normal diplomacy”, leaving governments and historians alike in “unchartered territory”.
“There is a long history of American presidents being flattered and charmed by the Queen. Some more than others – LBJ was indifferent, for example, while Reagan loved the theatre of a state visit.
“In that sense, the treatment that will be accorded to Trump is in line with longstanding British diplomatic practice.
“But those were all visits that took place within the security of a fundamentally strong alliance, with confidence at all levels that there was genuine goodwill on both sides.”
In this case, says Smith: “I would be astonished if this kind of ‘soft’ royal diplomacy actually gains the UK anything, but it may mitigate being bullied just a little bit.”
Still, sources in the US and UK agree that the Royal family’s role could not be more important now.
“We can hopefully get back on track with the help of the royals,” says a source close to the White House, who emphasised the importance of William’s influence in particular.
“The President had a wonderful visit with him.”
For decades, the establishment has talked about the “soft power” of the Royal family – that unmatched, unquantifiable asset. Now, those responsible for Brand Britain say, is the time for it to become a little less soft.
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