Royal influence: King Charles may pay key role in Trump-Ukraine talks

Ukraine’s allies seek new levers of influence on Trump

Together with First Lady Melania, Trump will become the first US President to be officially received at Windsor Castle. This will become another exception in a series of unusual steps of Trump’s second state visit.

London is preparing a lavish reception with a banquet, an honorary escort and a military air show. Behind this ceremony lies also a political goal – to remind of the long history of military cooperation between Britain and the United States.

King as mediator

The British authorities expect that "the royal charm" will help Prime Minister Keir Starmer to persuade Trump to increase pressure on Vladimir Putin. Although officially, peace negotiations over Ukraine are not listed in the program, sources expect that they will be raised behind closed doors.

A high-ranking military official noted that the King is "very close" to the details of ceasefire negotiations and personally to Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This gives London a unique advantage – a monarch who quietly, but consistently, supports Kyiv.

Support for Zelenskyy

Unlike the cold attitude toward the Ukrainian president, Trump shows deep respect for the British monarchy. Leaving for London, he called Charles "such an elegant gentleman" and the visit – "a great honor."

After the scandalous meeting in the Oval Office, Zelenskyy found support in Charles himself. The King unexpectedly invited him for tea at Sandringham, and then – for dinner at Windsor Castle before the June NATO summit.

Orisia Lutsevich of Chatham House noted that Charles’s gestures became a signal of “solidarity and a reminder of who is the victim, and who the aggressor.” According to the former British diplomat, the monarch knows how to find ways to express his stance, even without speaking publicly.

Secret diplomacy

During the visit, Trump will spend the night at Windsor, where a carriage procession, dinner in the ceremonial hall, and a state banquet await him. According to former diplomats, it is in the sidelines that the King may try to convince the President to support Ukraine.

Recently, Charles, in a message for Ukraine’s Independence Day, called for "a just and lasting peace." Experts do not rule out that he will again mention Ukraine in his speech at the banquet. The symbolism of the visit underscores the role of Britain and the US as allies in times of war.

Difficult choice for Trump

However, the question remains whether the King can really influence the American leader. Advisors point out that such receptions have earlier helped convince Trump of NATO’s importance. This time, together with him, arrive Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff, whom they will also try to persuade to support Kyiv.

Charles' biographer Robert Hardman emphasized that "In soft power terms, other world leaders, other countries are far more interested in the monarchy than they are in Downing Street." But at the same time Trump’s position toward Russia remains contradictory.

The President made it clear that additional US measures against Moscow are possible only after NATO allies stop buying Russian oil and impose tariffs on China. According to experts, such a position leaves little room for maneuver.

Trump may listen to the King’s arguments, but expecting a sharp turn in his policy, experts are not yet prepared.

Recall, US President Donald Trump on 17 September officially began his unprecedented second state visit to the United Kingdom. The British authorities say this is the greatest ceremonial reception for a state visit in modern history.

Last week, Prince Harry made his second visit to Ukraine on September 12. The Duke of Sussex in Kyiv met with 250 Ukrainian veterans and participants of the Invictus Games.