King Charles fires back during state dinner at Donald Trump's offensive comments
US president Donald Trump was left needing some aloe vera after King Charles III burned him in front of 100 guests at the White House this week.
Across the pond on a four-day rendezvous with the Trumps, the British monarch and his queen, Camilla, were treated to a resplendent state banquet in the East Room yesterday (28 April), which seated other high-flying dinner guests in the shape of Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and recent Masters golf champion Rory McIlroy.
The two international powerhouses produced their own speeches on the night, but it was the King's that drew the biggest response from the room, stealing Trump's thunder.
After highlighting Trump's renovation work on the White House's East Wing, the King quipped that Britain 'had made our own small attempt at real estate redevelopment of the White House in 1814', an allusion to how British troops set fire to the White House, the Capitol and the Library of Congress over 200 years ago.
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Charles then alluded to North American place names with British and French origins, bearing traces of the country's colonial past.
"You recently commented, Mr President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German," the 77-year-old pointed out.
You might remember at Switzerland's World Economic Forum at the start of the year, Trump brazenly suggested to the diplomats and government officials surrounding him: "Without us, right now you'd all be speaking German and Japanese, perhaps."
The UK monarch went on: "Dare I say that if it wasn't for us, you'd be speaking French..."
This is a reference to how Britain and France fought for control of America in the 18th century.
"Of course, we both love our French cousins greatly," the royal visitor went on to add.
You can see how the joke went down in the room in the below clip:
Over on social media, people who'd heard of the cheeky exchange were quick to highlight a certain tension between the two men.
"That wasn't a joke, that was a historical counterattack," one quipped.
"God, I so would buy tickets to this show. I don't enjoy anything as much as seeing the King humiliate Trump," wrote another user.
Meanwhile, it wasn't all verbal sparring at the swanky event.
Charles was pleased to present the President with an unexpected gift - an original bell from HMS Trump, a British submarine involved in the Battle of the Pacific during World War II.
"I'm delighted to present to you the original bell which hung on the conning tower of your valiant namesake," he declared. "May it stand as a testimony to our nation's shared history and shining future. And should you ever need to get hold of us... Well, just give us a ring!"
Amusingly, Trump managed to break royal protocol within minutes of welcoming the King to his home state of Washington DC this week after he touched the monarch on the shoulder.
King Charles and Queen Camilla's US state visit schedule
Day 1: Monday 27 April
On Monday afternoon, Donald and Melania Trump welcomed King Charles and Queen Camilla at the South Portico of the White House. The president and first lady hosted a private tea for the royals before giving them a tour of the newly expanded White House beehive on the South Lawn.
They later attended a garden party at the British ambassador's residence in Washington, with around 650 people representing the UK and US in attendance. Up to 3,000 sandwiches were prepared for the occasion, with guests ranging from Trump administration officials to retired British diver Tom Daley.
King Charles and Queen Camilla are expected to stay at Blair House, the official guesthouse across from the White House, during their state visit.
Day 2: Tuesday 28 April
On Tuesday morning, the president and first lady hosted a State Arrival Ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House to formally welcome Their Majesties, featuring a traditional military arrival ceremony and a speech from Trump.
The King and POTUS participated in a bilateral meeting to discuss the US and UK's relations. At the same time, the Queen and the first lady joined students for an educational event at the White House Tennis Pavilion.
King Charles also delivered a speech to both houses of the US Congress, making him the second British monarch to do so after his mother Queen Elizabeth II’s speech during her 1991 state visit.
A State Dinner was held in the evening, where the monarch and Trump gave speeches.
Day 3: Wednesday 29 April
On Wednesday, King Charles and Queen Camilla will travel to the Big Apple to attend a 9/11 memorial at One World Trade Center. They will also meet with the first responders and families of victims in the 2001 attacks.
The King will then visit a community organisation and attend a meeting with senior business leaders, while the Queen will head to a literary event to mark the 100th anniversary of Winnie-the-Pooh.
Day 4: Thursday 30 April
For the final day of their state visit, the royals will return to the White House to bid a formal goodbye to the president and first lady.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will then make their way to Virginia to visit a national park and attend community events celebrating the 250th anniversary of US independence.
The Palace says His Majesty will then travel to Bermuda to undertake his first royal visit as Monarch to a British Overseas Territory.
Topics: Royal Family, King Charles III, Donald Trump, Politics
Dan Seddon