Donald Trump’s historic re-election must be a particularly bitter pill for Keir Starmer to swallow. Leaders from Javier Milei to Giorgia Meloni are scrambling to curry favour, and Trump’s pal Reform MP Nigel Farage is a regular on the post-election Mar-a-Lago scene. But that’s not the style of Sir Keir and his merry band of net zero Never Trumpers: they could end up singing a different tune that would literally leave Britain out in the cold in the new ‘Drill Baby Drill’ Trump era.
Yet an unexpected ally could prevent the bi-lateral relationship between Britain and the United States from unraveling further: the British Royal Family. The monarchy has long been a soft power marvel, capable of transcending partisan divides, offering a stabilising force in turbulent diplomatic waters and smoothing bumps in the special relationship. The US president-elect has a well-known deep appreciation of the British monarchy. Between Trump’s Anglophilia, Farage’s influence and the president-elect’s respect for the late Queen and her family, even Sir Keir might not be able to tank the relationship.
State visits, royal tours, and official engagements will once again provide moments over which Trump can wax lyrical
Queen Elizabeth II, who reigned for over seven decades, engaged with 14 US presidents, from Harry Truman to Joe Biden. Her non-partisan role meant that she could maintain cordial relations with successive American administrations, even when tensions flared between the governments of both countries. This consistency allowed for the development of personal relationships with US leaders, often smoothing over political differences.
King Charles III has inherited this legacy of continuity, representing a steady point of contact that could be invaluable in the event of strains between Starmer and Trump. As Prince of Wales for decades, he has been able to form many of his own relationships over the years.
The British royal family is a unique global asset, holding significant soft power – particularly in the US, where despite America’s republican tradition, the monarchy holds us in its spell. When we chose to become a republic, America gave up something very special. Even Trump, the world’s most high-profile strongman, is impressed by the tradition and history that all the money in the world cannot buy.
This American fascination with British royalty represents a unique diplomatic opportunity. Queen Elizabeth’s interactions with US presidents – whether dancing with Gerald Ford, planting trees with George W. Bush or famously riding with Ronald Reagan –underscored her ability to bridge divides and project a sense of shared values and mutual respect. One imagines that King Charles, along with Prince William, will engage with Trump and his administration in a similar capacity and help to ease any government-to-government tensions.
During the Suez Crisis in 1956, when the US and UK found themselves at odds, the monarchy helped maintain diplomatic channels and preserve the relationship. Similarly, in the case of a potential clash between Starmer and Trump, the royal family could salvage goodwill. The personal rapport that they have cultivated with US leaders over the years may yet again soften potential bilateral discord.
The Palace may well find itself sent in to take the heat out of any squabbles that arise from the yawning ideological gulf between Trump and Starmer. That’s not to mention the head-spinning insults made by many in Starmer’s cabinet about the president-elect, most notably David Lammy, but also Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting. The monarchy may also play a vital role, as it historically has, in facilitating high-level meetings in trade and other areas which could be beneficial to both nations. State visits, royal tours, and official engagements will once again provide tantalising moments over which Trump can wax lyrical as he did during his first presidential term.
Meanwhile, the value of Nigel Farage in smoothing the UK’s relations with Trump cannot be overstated. Sadly, even though making the most of the Reform MP’s relationship with the president-elect would benefit Britain, can anyone seriously imagine Starmer putting country before politics and deploying him officially as ambassador?
While political leaders posture and spar, the monarchy provides something they can’t: continuity, credibility, and a deep-rooted sense of shared heritage. The last should play particularly well with Trump, so proud of his British (Scottish) roots. The royal family’s established role in bridging divides, fostering personal connections and promoting shared values might very well serve as a stabilising force in a transatlantic landscape more unpredictable than it has been in decades.
The Victorian journalist Walter Bagehot wrote that ‘the mystic reverence, the religious allegiance, which are essential to a true monarchy, are imaginative sentiments that no legislature can manufacture in any people.’ Many of us royal admirers outside of the UK, including Trump, have undeniably felt this on some level. It beggars belief that anti-monarchists in the UK or Commonwealth could want to give up such a profound asset.
Comments