Leaked emails and messages revealed King Charles harbored private concerns about hosting President Donald Trump for a U.K. state visit, primarily due to Trump and Vice President JD Vance's February 2025 ridiculing of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over perceived ingratitude for American support. "Multiple senior Whitehall sources have told this newspaper that the King was reticent about hosting Trump at this time because of his treatment of Zelensky," The i Paper reported.A source claimed the King felt jittery about Trump's appearance, while another alleged the King did not want to host Trump at all.Officials scrambled to address royal reservations, fearing a diplomatic crisis if the monarch snubbed Trump. Leaked correspondence between then-U.S. Ambassador Peter Mandelson and Foreign Office officials in March 2025 documented behind-the-scenes efforts to alleviate Charles's concerns, reports The i Paper.The King's worries reflected broader anxieties about U.S. commitment to Ukraine amid the ongoing war.According to the British media outlet, Mandelson's messages indicated he coordinated with senior civil servants and discussed the matter with Prime Minister Keir Starmer during weekly audiences with the King.Watch the video below. Your browser does not support the video tag.
