- British government hit with ‘wobble’ at last minute over US tour
- Source involved in planning reveals surprising details of tensions
- Government officials cite the key reason for the delay, the next phase of the plans
King Charles and Queen Camilla were reportedly preparing for an important trip across the pond when an unexpected turn of events brought it all to an abrupt halt at the last minute.
Last year, the royal family had hosted US President Donald Trump for an unprecedented second state visit with full pomp and circumstance, at the request of the British government.
There had been reports that preparations were already underway as the White House had sent an official invitation to Buckingham Palace. Charles and Camilla were due to fly to Washington DC at the end of the month for a three-day visit, which would have coincided with America’s 250th anniversary.
But now according to a DailyMail report, the trip is delayed after the conflict between the US and Iran erupted last week.
The British government is responsible for signing off on the plans, which had been a “wobble” at the last minute, according to a Whitehall source involved in planning the trip.
“The plans were only put on hold in early February. In addition to everything else, there has been a noticeable lack of progress on the technology-related trade deals agreed during Trump’s visit,” the source said.
Trump had described Keir Starmer as ‘not Winston Churchill’ for initially refusing to get involved in the conflict, leading to the latest backlash. Senior officials believe the trip should be postponed until tensions have subsided.
The source also noted that “pomp and ceremony” would feel “incongruous and insensitive” at such a critical time.
