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Charles rises royally to the diplomatic challenge

As Trump laid waste to 80 years of the post-war world order, Britain played its royal card in a series of carefully choreographed moves.

Jenny Hjul's avatar
Jenny Hjul
Mar 07, 2025
∙ Paid
King Charles III and Volodymyr Zelensky at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk on 2 March (via Alamy/ 3A04TE6)

During Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday, Democrats held up “No kings” signs to mock the president’s creepingly authoritarian rule.

But this is one era in the country’s history when Americans may look enviously across the Atlantic and wish they did have a king to smooth their troubled waters. Especially a king whose soft skills are so far proving to be something of a healing balm in the growing crisis in international relations.

The best argument against republicanism has always been to posit an apolitical royal head of state against the possible alternatives, including an autocratic nutter seizing power.

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Jenny Hjul's avatar
A guest post by
Jenny Hjul
Jenny Hjul is a newspaper and magazine journalist and columnist. She has contributed to national, regional and trade titles for more than 30 years, working in London, Sydney, Edinburgh and now back in London again.
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