Why Keir Starmer might want to use King Charles as his Trump card within the rising Greenland row | EUROtoday

The proposed state go to by King Charles III on July 4 within the rose backyard on the White House – to mark the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence- has taken on big significance.

With Donald Trump within the strategy of imposing new tariffs over Greenland and renewing threats towards different allies, there are few levers Sir Keir Starmer can pull to steer the US president to be extra cheap.

But the royal go to this yr is maybe the one lever which might now be deployed to cease a global disaster from spiralling uncontrolled.

If there may be one card the UK holds in its dealings with Mr Trump, it’s the royal household.

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Partly due to his late mom coming from Scotland, President Trump reveres Britain’s royals and the trimmings of energy that go together with them.

It is already a well-established indisputable fact that the senior royals, particularly, are in essence an extension of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and that is most true relating to the cautious dealings with America’s capricious forty seventh president.

Sir Keir has already deployed Prince William as a vital go-between with the US president. The relationship started in late 2024 simply earlier than Trump’s inauguration when he and William met in Paris forward of the reopening of Notre Dame cathedral.

Since then, the prince and president converse often, The Independent has been instructed – much more than Trump speaks to Starmer.

Most necessary although has been the pageantry. One of the ways in which Sir Keir was capable of outperform the EU on getting a commerce deal publish Trump tariffs was due to the Trump’s historic second state go to to the UK.

He could also be regretting the appointment now, however the prospect of the state go to additionally ensured Trump didn’t reject Starmer’s first selection ambassador to the US – Lord Mandelson.

The state go to grew to become a type of golden carrot which the president fixated on and instructed these near him that he didn’t wish to go mistaken in any means.

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So Trump made it clear that he didn’t need something to intervene with that and was keen to be way more amenable to the UK.

In the method, it gave area for Starmer to construct his relationship with the US president and earn his standing internationally as a “Trump whisperer.”

Going ahead, the plan to ship the King or maybe Prince of Wales on a state go to for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on 4 July is maybe now much more necessary for Trump and what he sees as his legacy.

So as diplomatic tensions mount and the specter of tariffs will increase, this go to and whether or not it goes forward might be extremely vital.

If the UK is in recession due to Trump tariffs and the Nato alliance has collapsed over the US president’s calls for for Greenland, then it appears unattainable for a senior royal to roll up and basically give the US president their blessing.

But the risk it may not occur could even at this stage be sufficient to remain Trump’s hand.

There is a threat although. Trump shouldn’t be a person who takes being slighted mendacity down. If ar oyal state go to is cancelled he’ll take it personally and issues might get a lot worse.

And it isn’t as if brandishing royalty at Trump has helped massively with worldwide points like Ukraine or the Middle East.

As ever, Sir Keir has a troublesome tightrope to stroll within the diplomatic turbulence of the Trump presidency.