Trump’s awkward royal moment as he reveals mother’s “crush” on young Charles
Donald Trump has claimed that his mother had a "crush" on the King when he was younger during a speech in front of Charles and Camilla at the White House.
The royals received a ceremonial welcome and were met by the US President and First Lady Melania Trump on Tuesday afternoon.
The event is the highest diplomatic honor extended by the US to a visiting head of state.
Speaking outside the White House, the president said of his mother Mary Ann Macleod and the late Queen Elizabeth II: “My mother, I just see it so clearly, she loved, I told the King that she loved the royal family and she loved the Queen, and any time the Queen was involved in the ceremony or anything, my mother would be glued to the television, and she’d say ‘look, Donald, look how beautiful that is’.
“She really did love the family but 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, amazing how... I wonder what she’s thinking right now?”
The royal couple arrived in Washington on Monday for the start of a four-day state visit to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The King and US president had tea with their wives at the White House soon after the royals arrived and an image from the meeting showed the two men engrossed in conversation.
With the so-called special relationship between the UK and US tested in recent months, following a war of words between Mr. Trump and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over the conflict in Iran, officials in Downing Street will be hoping the royal family’s soft power diplomacy can help heal the rift.
Later the King will tell Congress the story of the UK and US since America’s independence is “one of the greatest alliances in human history” where the two nations find ways to “come together”.
During the welcome ceremony, the King and Queen stood on a dais with the president and first lady as the UK and US national anthems were played by “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band.
Nearby, a 21-gun salute was fired in tribute to the royal guests by the Presidential Salute Battery.
Senior members of Mr. Trump’s administration were among the guests, including vice-president JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, secretary of state Marco Rubio, secretary of war Pete Hegseth and Steve Witkoff, special envoy for peace missions.
A large number of military units took part in the ceremonial welcome from the United States Marine Corps Honor Guard to the United States Space Force Honor Guard who performed in the rain, which stopped before the royals arrived.
Before the event began and the royal party appeared, the crowd was entertained by precision marching and playing by the Drum and Bugle Corps, including the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps and the US Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps.
World Affairs Correspondent
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