Why the Royal visit to the US is dividing Brits
The Global Story
BBC
3.8 • 666 Ratings
🗓️ 3 April 2026
⏱️ 27 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
King Charles and Queen Camilla will visit Washington DC this month at a time when the transatlantic relationship is at its lowest point in decades.
The King is facing a difficult time at home in the UK too, with significant public opposition to the visit and anger over his brother Andrew’s association with Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Can the King and Queen sprinkle some royal magic on President Trump and improve the royal image at the same time? Asma and Tristan are joined by the BBC’s senior royal correspondent, Daniela Relph.
Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Xandra Ellin
Executive producer: James Shield
Mix: Renee Park
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: President Donald Trump and King Charles III at a state banquet at Windsor Castle, in September 2025.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts. |
| 0:05.6 | King Charles will travel to the United States later this month for a state visit, |
| 0:10.6 | and Britons are divided on whether he should even be going. |
| 0:15.6 | I think it's an acute embarrassment. |
| 0:18.7 | No, I don't think it's a good idea. |
| 0:20.2 | I think to not go would be, what's the same, |
| 0:22.5 | cutting off your nose despite your face. |
| 0:24.5 | By sending the king over, |
| 0:26.2 | what we're saying is our relationship is great and growing. |
| 0:32.3 | Now, under normal circumstances, |
| 0:34.2 | a visit by a British monarch to address Congress |
| 0:36.6 | and meet the American |
| 0:37.7 | President, would be utterly uncontroversial. |
| 0:41.1 | Except Donald Trump has said some things like this. |
| 0:44.7 | The UK is way out of line. |
| 0:46.5 | I've just seen a true social post from the president. |
| 0:49.8 | The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of great stupidity. |
| 0:55.0 | I look at London where you have a terrible man, terrible, terrible man. |
| 0:58.5 | They'll say they send some troops to Afghanistan or this or that. |
| 1:01.8 | And they did. They stayed a little back, a little off the front lines. |
| 1:06.3 | And Charles is facing questions at home, too, about the future of the royal family, |
| 1:12.6 | especially after revelations over his brother Andrew's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. |
... |
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