King Charles charmed America last night as he gave one of the
most important speeches of his reign – and his long public
life.
Bringing Shakespeare, Churchill and Queen Elizabeth II to the
table, The King addressed US President Donald Trump, First Lady
Melania Trump and hundreds of guests inside the White House at the
glittering State Dinner, the set piece focal point of his historic
State Visit.
With Queen Camilla at his side, wearing some of the most
historic jewels in the royal vaults, King Charles spoke of the
shared bonds and values of the US and the UK and turned even the
trickiest matter into a moment of considerable charm. Touching on
matters many miles from Washington, he sad ”When my Mother visited
in 1957, not the least of her tasks was to help put the “Special”
back into our relationship after a crisis in the Middle
East. Nearly 70 years on, it is hard to imagine anything like
that happening today…”
There were references, too, to other family members as The King
joked about the US map reading like his Christmas card list before
name checking places that shared names with his own relations –
with a special mention for all things Willam.
But it was the masterful use of diplomatic and warm words that
made this a speech to remember – from the presentation of the bell
from SS Trump amidst a sea of words about courage – to the playful
references to shared history. The King ended with the
acknowledgement that Washington holds more Shakespeare folios than
anywhere else in the world before turning to the Bard for his
closing words, noting ”my speech entreats, that I may know…why
gentle Peace should not…bless us with her former
qualities.”
Charles III had chosen Henry V for his rallying – a king whose
own foresight and charm had done so much to bolster his country
internationally. In Washington, at this glittering event, he found
another heir.
You can see King Charles III and Donald Trump’s speeches
here
