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.



MP’s surgeries get an upgrade

Josh Dell | November 26, 2020

Virtual MP's surgeries are less strenuous and less time-consuming than their face-to-face equivalents. Josh Dell hails the benefits of their digitisation

Put the Donald in the Dock, says Anthony Scaramucci

Anthony Scaramucci | November 25, 2020

In 60 days, America should prosecute the outgoing president for the atrocities of his time in office, argues Anthony Scaramucci (Trump’s former head of communications), Alan Blotcky and

The Cummings Legacy Is Not What The Pundits Think

William Cash | November 14, 2020

As Dominic Cummings leaves Downing Street for the last time, William Cash notes that his legacy will extend far beyond his own disruption of Whitehall

Dominic Cummings Special

The PM has Forgotten Where Power Truly Resides

Marie Le Conte | November 5, 2020

To soothe public outrage, says Marie Le Conte, the government need to look beyond the green benches

John Kerry John Bercow William Hague House of Commons

The Conservatives are finished if they don’t fight the culture war

Ferdie Rous | October 19, 2020

The Conservatives need to pick a side in the culture war, otherwise they’ll lose it, says Ferdie Rous

Queen Vic Brexit Culture War Conservatives

The Democrats pick pragmatism over idealism in 2020

Nicholas Wapshott | October 17, 2020

As a report reveals that Joe Biden will benefit from his son‘s deal with China's largest energy company, Nicholas Wapshott explains why he still has the best chance

Joe Biden Donald Trump

Why Merkel does it better

John Kampfner | October 15, 2020

As Boris goes from one blunder to the next, the German chancellor has kept the virus under control, says John Kampfner

Hail to the Chief Junk Foodie

Emily Hill | October 14, 2020

Catering for the top man in the White House? You can give René Redzepi the night off– Mr Trump’s tastes are as basic as his politics

In the Shadows: How Campaigners Shift the Debate

Damian Collins MP | October 14, 2020

Damian Collins MP explains how digital campaigns alter our perceptions of the news

Steve Bannon Campaign Hashtag Digital

Brighton Revisited: A Lesson for the PM?

William Cash | October 12, 2020

William Cash asks whether the PM can learn from how Thatcher handled the IRA bombing of exactly 36 years ago

Grand Hotel Brighton 1984 Bombing