In his toast to King Charles at the lavish state banquet that capped a day of pomp and celebration at Windsor Castle, Donald Trump rose up to heap praise on the monarch, the British empire and the ties between the UK and the US.
“The bond of kinship and identity between America and the United Kingdom is priceless and eternal. It’s irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the US president said, before declaring: “We’ve done more good for humanity than any two countries in all of history together.”
For hours, Trump had been soaking up the glory of his second state visit to the UK, with all the pageantry and flattery of the occasion. And when it came time for the King to say a few introductory words, he gave a nod to the president’s peacemaking efforts, which are struggling to bear fruit in both Gaza and Ukraine, that will have been music to Trump’s ears.