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

Lucy Carrier-Pilkington | 29th April 2026 | Comment, Diplomacy, International

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 pausing to allow the room to quieten before he continued.

Subtly addressing the recent divisions across the Atlantic, he emphasised the shared values that continue to bind the two nations together: “Whatever our differences, whatever disagreements we may have, we stand united in our commitment to uphold democracy, to protect all our people from harm, and to salute the courage of those who daily …

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