One King
In speaking truth to power, Charles III proved himself far worthier than the Clown Who Would Be King
At a moment when the transatlantic alliance is under tremendous strain, with strident tones heard on both sides of the ocean, King Charles III’s address to the US Congress had the sense of a rebuttal to … well, just about everything.
The background, of course, is Trump’s recent assault on Britain — questioning the relevance of its armed forces and calling PM Keir Starmer weak for refusing to join the war against Iran, while Starmer declared himself “fed up” with the rising energy prices caused by America and his deputy David Lammy called Trump’s insults “small and petty.” Quite a special relationship!
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Into this debacle stepped Charles, a figure long caricatured as the eccentric royal who grew old waiting for his mother to retire or expire. In Trump’s twisted world-view he is certainly a loser, though one with a nice property portfolio. But those who followed Charles or encountered him in person — I once did at a garden party at Buckingham Palace — recognize a different figure: serious and curious, steeped in history and ideas, carrying an admirable sense of duty.
His role may not be democratically defensible, but he occupies a space Americans lack: a head of state (for yes, that’s what he is) able to speak for continuity, institutions, decency, logic and traditions – rather than the whims and obsessions of a politician. His speech was a masterclass in the anti-Trump way of existing, and the interesting thing is that he pulled it off without creating further antagonism. Trump seemed to like it enough to post about “Two Kings.” And then — for what is the economy but a regal plaything — to cancel tariffs on Scotch in order to “honor” his royal guests.
The interwebs seemed more inclined to mock Trump for cutting in front of Charles and Queen Camilla to shake a bunch of hands.
Either way, the difference between the two becomes vividly clear when one considers specific passages from the speech. Behold:
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