King Charles: The real ‘special ingredient’ in our relationship with the USA 

Lucy Carrier-Pilkington | 29th April 2026 | Comment, Diplomacy, International
Credit: Chip Somodevilla
Credit: Chip Somodevilla

King Charles’s address to Congress was designed to steady a strained special relationship. Twelve standing ovations later, the Palace had given Downing Street something politics could not: a rare bipartisan moment in Washington and a reminder that royal soft power still has diplomatic bite.

Given the growing tensions between the UK Government and President Donald Trump, few British figures could expect to be met with 12 standing ovations during an address to the US Congress. King Charles III could. Evie Aspinall, Director of the British Foreign Policy Group, told The Mace: “The Royal Family serves as a huge soft power asset for the UK. The pomp, pageantry and tradition of the Royal Family are widely admired in the United States and can therefore create valuable diplomatic opportunities for the UK. “King Charles’s visit to the United States was a powerful reminder of that, bringing celebration and excitement to an otherwise difficult special relationship. The Royal Family is able to position itself above the fray of day-to-day politics, acting as a useful diplomatic tool, particularly when relationships between the President and Prime Minister are difficult.” During his address to Congress, the King reportedly inspired repeated applause across the political divide, often p...

Subscribe to The Mace

Join the member community shaping British politics and stay ahead of what's really happening in the world of politics and public affairs, with expert analysis, breaking news, and insider insights from Westminster and Brussels. The Mace is the leading news source and resource for the government affairs industry, offering required reading and lobby intelligence for professionals.

To see what you are missing out on by not subscribing to The Mace, click here to download our full membership info-pack. This includes having no paywall on op-ed content or profiles/interviews, allowing professional profiles to be read with maximum impact and visibility by government, special advisers, MPs, peers, civil servants, and policy and political decision-makers.



Hospitality and social value: A unique relationship that is worth protecting

Robert Richardson | October 22, 2026

"Our profession is one of the most accessible in the world," writes hospitality CEO Robert Richardson

How to solve Britain’s housing crisis? 

Kamal Pankhania | October 20, 2026

If councils want to build more homes, they must make it easier for property developers to partner with them, says leading UK developer Kamal Pankhania  

End of the gilded age for Caribbean passports?  

Mace | October 20, 2026

Ahead of Commonwealth leaders gathering in Antigua, The Mace reports on how Brussels wants to stop the Caribbean “golden passport” trade

Racketeering, human rights abuse, and intimidation: Lucy Carrier-Pilkington investigates a cautionary tale about investment in Uzbekistan

Lucy Carrier-Pilkington | October 15, 2026

"The rule of law is in jeopardy" according to leading human rights expert

Trump’s Russian Diesel Deal: A Turning Point in US Policy Towards Moscow? 

Anna Bryzhko | October 15, 2026

The US says its Russian diesel deal is about bringing down fuel prices. But for Ukraine and America’s European allies, the move raises a bigger concern: whether Washington

Beyond the beautiful game: How global investment has transformed Manchester

Lucy Carrier-Pilkington | October 13, 2026

Manchester’s metamorphosis into the UK’s second capital has been a testament to the potential of northern cities, so we must approach the Man City scandal with a nuanced

Europe has condemned Iran’s attacks against the UK, but it’s time for action 

Lucy Carrier-Pilkington | October 13, 2026

The European Foreign Ministers have issued a joint statement condemning Iran’s violent attacks, but does a statement go far enough? 

Kaliningrad Is Where Putin Is Testing Europe’s Defences

Azeem Ibrahim OBE | October 6, 2026

Europe may already be entering a new phase of confrontation with Russia, one in which the distinction between peace and conflict becomes increasingly difficult to identify.

Britain’s growing role in Ukraine’s reconstruction: From wartime aid to business opportunities

Anna Bryzhko | September 29, 2026

As the UK commits further funding to Ukraine’s reconstruction, British companies are expanding their involvement in energy, finance and defence, creating new opportunities for long-term economic cooperation.

Forty years after Big Bang, the City cannot write its own rules for growth

Mick McAteer | September 23, 2026

Greater deregulation for the financial sector in the City is not the way forward, writes Mick McAteer.