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.
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