How a 'made for television' state visit gave Trump what he wanted — and acted like a 'shield' for the U.K.

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Donald Trump's state visit to the U.K. May have given the U.S. President much — if not all — of what he wished for, surrounding him in the pomp and circumstance of royalty.

But the visit a few days ago may also have given his hosts — King Charles and the U.K. Government — at least some of what they wished for, too. 

While there were protests, the two-day visit generally progressed without major gaffes, leaving the U.K. Government to hope it will bear fruit for the relationship between the two countries, particularly in matters of trade.

And in doing that, the visit reflected the monarchy doing one of its regular functions.

It was "kind of a commercial for the monarchy in the sense of it showed people what the monarchy does in the realm of foreign affairs, personal diplomacy and international relations," Justin Vovk, a royal historian and member of the advisory board of the Institute for the Study of the Crown in Canada, said in an interview. 

Trump rides with King Charles in carriage procession

"You can't tell by watching this visit if the Royal Family likes the Trumps, hates the Trumps — whatever their feelings might be — and that's exactly how it's supposed to be."

Prior to the visit, much had been made of the fact it was a rarity: a second state visit for the same U.S. President, something no other president has received.

It was a rarity in other ways, too.

"This was an unusual state visit in the sense that just having the state visit itself was the goal, and for that to go as safely as possible," said Craig Prescott, a constitutional expert and lecturer in law at Royal Holloway, University of London, in an interview.

By all appearances, that seems to be what happened, Prescott said.

He saw the visit as a "made-for-television state visit for a made-for-television president" that was all about the image and "allowing Trump to be seen … in that very regal context."

From the U.K. Side, Prescott suggested "we seemingly … wanted to do everything we could to do what the president wanted."

In a sense, that's in the nature of a state visit, Prescott said, but it seems organizers "threw out much of the template" for how such events are planned.

Sure, there is usually a carriage procession — but usually down streets, not through royal grounds well away from public view, as Trump had in the enclosed Irish State Coach.

During any state visit, the invited guest will also inspect an honour guard, but this time, Prescott said, the honour guard was larger. And there was, he said, an extra military parade.

As much as the visit may have lacked major controversy, there were awkward moments that raised eyebrows, particularly when Trump drew repeated attention to the appearance of Catherine, Princess of Wales.

Trump tells Catherine, Princess of Wales, she's 'so beautiful'

Ahead of the visit, there was much interest in what both Charles and Trump would say publicly in their speeches at the state dinner.

Both, it seemed, were keeping it safe.

"They played it very conservatively," said Vovk.

"With the King, not surprising. The monarch typically makes very generic diplomatic comments in these kinds of speeches."

Trump, said Vovk, generally kept his remarks understated.

King Charles, Donald Trump exchange speeches at Windsor Castle

Charles's speech differed considerably from his speech from the throne to open the Canadian Parliament in May. That speech was delivered in the shadow of the threat of Trump's repeated 51st state rhetoric and ended with Charles saying: "As the anthem reminds us: The true north is indeed strong and free."

"They were two different speeches for two very different occasions," said Prescott.

"The speech [at the state dinner] was designed to say as little as possible, it felt to me, whereas the speech in Ottawa was designed to say as much as possible."

The speeches, Prescott suggested, show that "the King of Canada can do what the Canadian government wants and the King of the United Kingdom can do what the government of the United Kingdom wants."

The Royal Family, he said, has shown flexibility as it supports the government of the day in its objectives. 

"Perhaps the monarchy was used as a bit of a sword in Canada and more of a shield here in the U.K.," said Prescott.

"But it shows that the monarchy can be used in both ways."

After Harry and his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, decamped to California five years ago, they levelled a wide range of criticisms against the Royal Family and the institution of the monarchy itself in interviews, documentaries and Harry's memoir, Spare. 

But such criticisms were nowhere to be heard while Harry spent a few days focused on charitable causes he has continued to support in the U.K.

"It seemed to have gone as well as could be hoped for under the circumstances," said Vovk.

Harry has long had an interest in supporting children, and his appearances included meeting with kids who have serious health problems. Much media attention highlighted a play balloon swordfight he had with a young girl. 

He also announced donations to a Children in Need project and Imperial College London's Centre for Blast Injury Studies. That contribution from the Archwell Foundation, on behalf of him and Meghan, will support efforts to develop prostheses for children who have been injured, especially in conflicts such as Gaza and Ukraine.

"It does point to the fact that he hasn't quite carved out the equivalent role in the U.S. €” that we don't see him visiting charities as such in the U.S. Very often," said Prescott.

"Maybe we'll start to see him in the U.K. More often, perhaps as a semi-detached member of the Royal Family."

Following Harry's time in the U.K., he made a surprise trip to Ukraine — and quickly garnered headlines back in the U.K. When he told a journalist for The Guardian that his "conscience is clear" after publishing his memoir and that he didn't air his "dirty linen in public."

Harry's comment about his conscience being clear hasn't played well with the British public, Vovk noted.

"He needs to tread very carefully," said Vovk.

"And unfortunately, with that comment, I think it's revealing that he still doesn't seem to grasp the scope of his actions and the impact they have had beyond just him."

Much media attention has focused on the possibility of reconciliation with his father and with his brother, Prince William. 

King Charles, Prince Harry meet for the first time in nearly 2 years

While the meeting over tea with King Charles seems to offer at least a hint of rapprochement on that front, Harry isn't thought to have met with William. There is little sense of reconciliation any time soon between the brothers.

"Maybe it's a case of two steps forward with the tour in the U.K. And one step back with saying that [about his conscience being clear] in Ukraine, but that's the one step further forward than he was before the trip," said Prescott.

"These things can take time."

But, suggested Prescott, "nothing's impossible with the Royal Family."

"You know, we saw how Camilla was brought into the fold after [that] being … the very least likely thing that could happen, but [she] is now a full and active part of the Royal Family, and it took … 10 years."

The funeral of Katharine, Duchess of Kent, a few days ago drew members of the Royal Family together for an event unprecedented in modern times.

The service at Westminster Cathedral in London for Katharine, who was married to Edward, a first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth, was the first Catholic funeral for a member of the Royal Family in nearly five centuries. A message was read from Pope Leo.

"The last time we had [a Catholic funeral] for a member of the Royal Family in good standing was … Mary Tudor in 1558," said Vovk.

"There have been Catholic funerals for members of the Royal Family, but these are ones who have been deposed and exiled, so it's not something we've ever seen before."

Katharine, who died at the age of 92 earlier this month, was known for her charitable works and love of music. While generally a low-profile royal, one lasting public image of her comes from the Wimbledon tennis championships in 1993, when she comforted runner-up Jana Novotna.

Members of the Royal Family attending the funeral, which was private and not televised, included King Charles, Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales. Queen Camilla did not attend because she was recovering from acute sinusitis.

"The fact that [a Catholic royal funeral] is able to happen controversy-free really speaks to how much the monarchy's role and its relationship with the church and the public's view of the monarch as defender of the faith has shifted significantly even in the past 100 years," said Vovk.

There was, however, some media attention focused on the attendance of another member of the Royal Family: Charles's younger brother, Prince Andrew.

Andrew's reputation sank like a stone after a television interview in 2019 regarding his friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In the aftermath of that interview, Andrew no longer carries out official public duties. His royal appearances have been limited to private family occasions.

"I think it's clear that he is, in terms of the public face of the monarchy, persona non grata, but will attend family events like this," said Prescott.

Vovk said he couldn't believe they let Andrew "if not attend, then at the very least be publicly photographed" at the funeral.

"I just really hope that somebody is able to convince the decision-makers that they have to distance themselves from Andrew, because the Epstein controversies are not going away, the quest for justice is not going away, and if they are not careful, Andrew could be the iceberg that sinks the ship."

"In fact, had the media succeeded in the 1970s in their own attempt at deepening the special relationship, I myself might have been married off within the Nixon family."

— King Charles, in his speech at the banquet during the state visit by U.S. President Donald Trump. During the speech, Charles spoke of the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom and how he has, over 20 visits to the U.S., "cherished the close ties between the British and American people."

The seating arrangements at the state dinner during U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to the U.K. Were said to be the work of that country's Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the royal household. Protocol has its place, but there is no doubt that Downing Street and the White House provided a lot of direction, adding to the intrigue around who sat next to whom. [The Guardian]

Queen Camilla took Melania Trump on a tour of Windsor Castle's royal library and to see the Queen Mary's Dolls' House during the final morning of Donald Trump's state visit. Melania Trump later joined the Princess of Wales to host a group of Scouts in the gardens of Frogmore House. [BBC]

In a visit to highlight the heritage of the British textile industry, Catherine, Princess of Wales, was shown how a loom works and spoke to schoolchildren at a family-run weaving mill. [ITV]

Prince William visited a new mental health hub for the Jac Lewis Foundation, a charity set up in the name of a popular soccer player who died by suicide in February 2019. The charity provides rapid access to mental health support in communities across Wales. [The Independent]

Prince William said he "can't believe it has been three years" since the death of his grandmother as he paid tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth on the anniversary of her death. [Daily Mail]

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