“My prime minister” - the King steps in
4/29/202621 min
Has King Charles’s warmth and humour helped save the special relationship?
It may be a diplomatic win for Keir Starmer in Washington, helping to steady UK-U.S. relations – but have private comments by his U.S. ambassador made life more difficult back in London?
Yesterday, the Prime Minister survived a vote demanding he appear before the privileges committee, but after another blockbuster Foreign Affairs Committee session, questions remain over his judgement to appoint Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the United States.
Elsewhere, could Angela Rayner make a comeback post local elections and will there be a wider cabinet reshuffle?
Plus, Sam flags some under-the-radar issues that could be highly consequential in the long run.
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsAnne McElvoy· Host0:00
[upbeat music] Hello, good morning and welcome from Washington. It's Wednesday, April 29th. The King managed to ease transatlantic tensions at the state dinner last night after a masterful display in front of Congress of English humor that hit the spot, even with sometimes querulous hosts. My name is Anne McElvoy from Politico.
Sam Coates· Host0:27
And I'm Sam Coates of Sky News. Days of angst over the transatlantic relationship, heaping pressure on Keir Starmer's administration. The Mandelson affair resurfacing like Groundhog Day time and again. And now private comments from the new British ambassador who said that if anyone has a special relationship with the US, it's Israel, have cast a long shadow. But even from here in London, it looked like the British state did what it's best at when they put the King front and center.
Anne McElvoy· Host0:54
Well, yes, and he certainly, uh, enjoyed delivering those zingers in the speech, ribbing President Trump over his recent claim that if it weren't for the United States, European countries would be speaking German.
Charles III· Soundbite1:07
Dare I say that if it wasn't for us, you'd be speaking French.
Anne McElvoy· Host1:10
[laughing] Then referencing Trump's controversial plan to rebuild part of the White House into a ballroom under the president's name, he added.
Charles III· Soundbite1:20
And I'm sorry to say that we British, of course, made our own, um, small attempt at real estate redevelopment of the White House in 1814.
Unknown speaker1:29
[laughing]