King Charles, high-stakes visit to Washington: Diplomatic pitfalls of the meeting with Trump, under the shadow of the White House attack and the Epstein file

King Charles III begins an official visit to the United States on Monday with the mission to “reaffirm and renew” the special relationship with the US, at a time when bilateral ties are going through a difficult period under pressure from a tense security climate, according to The Guardian.

The monarch's official visit to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence requires a “delicate diplomatic balance” with an unpredictable Donald Trump amid Iran and security concerns.

The armed incident on Saturday night, at the White House correspondents' dinner, further complicated the context of the visit, already forcing a reevaluation of security plans for the four days. Meanwhile, the ghost of Jeffrey Epstein and the shadow of the Sussex couple are never far away, notes the British publication.

The most important visit in the king's life

Political historian Anthony Seldon says the visit has a “degree of difficulty” that surpasses any royal mission since George VI because the monarch is dealing with “someone so unpredictable”.

Still, Seldon says, Charles is “probably the one person in the world Trump doesn't want to offend,” which could give the king “more leeway.”

In what the historian calls “the most important visit of the king's life,” Charles could choose to tread lightly or “remind the American people of the foundations upon which the United States was built 250 years ago,” the historian added.

Professor Philip Murphy, head of the department of history and politics at the University of London, points out that the political risk is more significant for Keir Starmer than for Charles. But he says the government has put the monarch's prestige at risk by contacting the US president.

“They put his dignity at risk by putting him in contact with Trump, who is both extremely controversial and a very difficult person to handle in public,” Murphy said.

Regarding the scheduled speech to the US Congress, considered his most important yet, Murphy suggests that Charles could emphasize “shared values: belief in freedom, belief in democracy”, conveying that “the power of relationship transcends politics”.

Charles' security taken 'very seriously'

Charles' visit will benefit from “security measures appropriate to the risk” after Donald and Melania Trump were evacuated from the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night following gunfire.

Darren Jones, the prime minister's chief secretary, confirmed further discussions were taking place about the monarch's safety: “The government and the palace take Her Majesty's security very seriously and extensive discussions will continue in the coming days.”

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said it was working with US teams to determine to what extent Saturday night's events “may or may not affect operational planning for the visit”.

A historic moment in Washington

Charles' speech to a joint session of Congress will be broadcast internationally and is probably his most important speech to date, The Guardian writes.

Buckingham Palace says the king “recognizes the challenges facing our countries”, but the stakes are high given that the US president is known to “get angry very easily”.

In 1991, when Queen Elizabeth II addressed Congress, she emphasized the importance of NATO and cultural diversity, messages that today would be considered “a direct attack on Trump.”

For this reason, analysts anticipate that Charles will try to address the American public directly, “going almost over Trump's head,” to give the impression that “the power of the relationship transcends politics.”

Anthony Seldon states that there is no need for the president to be mentioned directly, leaving it up to everyone to decide whether the current leader “aligns with these values”. A speech delivered “with great skill, delicacy and in a respectful manner” could help remind the deep intellectual and human ties that unite the two countries.

Discretion in the Oval Office, in question

The meeting in the Oval Office was arranged to take place in private. The monarch is taking part in the talks after the US president publicly insulted the British prime minister and mocked the UK military. In the face of a leader who “talks loosely,” the king must proceed with caution.

So, warns Professor Philip Murphy, Charles will be “very careful what he says”. Trump doesn't seem to have “a strong sense of what is private and what isn't.”

The pressure of the Epstein file and the distancing from the Sussex family

On a personal level, Charles' visit is marked by the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in connection with the Jeffrey Epstein case. The issue is a sensitive one for both sides, with the US president's name also appearing in recent documents from the investigation, although he has consistently denied any involvement.

Although US officials and relatives of Epstein's victims requested a meeting with the royal couple, the Palace refused, citing the risk of jeopardizing “police investigations and potential legal action, to the detriment of the survivors themselves”.

If there are public protests, the monarch and Queen Camilla will be protected from them, with the itinerary offering few opportunities for direct contact with the public.

However, Murphy points out that after the difficult period with Andrew, Harry and Meghan, this visit gives the King an opportunity to demonstrate that he can play “a valuable role that transcends politics”.

At the same time, there are no meetings between Charles and Harry during the king's visit to the USA. The Dukes of Sussex are in Montecito, nearly 3,000 miles away from Washington DC. Palace officials hope Prince Harry will not give inappropriate interviews about his royal upbringing during this visit.