He and Queen Camilla’s four-day visit to the US ended on April 30 with a farewell to the presidential couple in . They then headed to the Appalachian Mountains, in keeping with Charles’ desire to also visit the American countryside. After celebrating 250or anniversary of American independence from Great Britain, Charles will head to an island that does not enjoy a similar independence, Bermuda.
“The greatest king in my book”
In his characteristic style, he summed up the meaning and success of the royal visit to journalists: “When you like the king of a country so much, it probably helps your relationship with its prime minister.”
Charles’ trip was indeed intended to restore the “special relationship” between the US and the UK. The latter had been disrupted by the fact that Keir Starmer’s government was seen as not supporting the US sufficiently in the war against Iran.
In this connection, an internal Pentagon email had been leaked which suggested that US support for British ownership of the Falkland Islands be stopped.
The event was seen as a threat of punishment for Britain’s stance in the war against Iran, necessitating a healing of the wounds in the cooperation of the two powers, which was undertaken by the charm of the royal couple.
Donald Trump is nicknamed “the man who would be king”, based on Rudyard Kipling’s short story, which was made into a film by John Huston starring Sean Connery and Michael Caine.
The play describes an adventurer’s monarchical ambitions in the Middle East, which are symbolically thwarted when he bleeds, revealing his mortality and non-divine origins.
The closest Donald Trump came to living up to his moniker was in a post he posted online, following positive responses from Charles’ speech, titled “two kings.”
It was a provocative response to the anti-Trump protests in the US, which have as their main slogan “no kings”.
The “man who would be king” saw fit to bestow a final tribute on the actual king during their final meeting at the White House:
“He’s the greatest king, in my book,” he told reporters. Having “passed the test with flying colours”, King Charles continued the journey with a detour to Virginia.
Table-refene and country music bluegrass
The first stop was at Arlington National Cemetery, where tens of thousands of American soldiers who gave their lives for the country lie. Charles honored their memory by laying a wreath at the monument of the Unknown Soldier.
The royal couple then visited the small town of Front Royal, where they were treated to local delicacies such as apple butter doughnuts, crab croquettes, spicy chicken wings, burgers and Girl Scouts cookies at a traditional reception.
It was what in local tradition is called a “potluck” meal, that is, a “table-refene”, where everyone brings their own food, which they have prepared at home, and there is a sharing that strengthens the bonds of community members. The curiosity of the royal couple was enough to inquire about the foods with their eyes, but not to taste them.
During the visit, Charles and Camilla had the opportunity to meet a local baseball team and hear a bluegrass band. It is a genre of Appalachian country music that developed from the 1940s, taking its name from the iconic band Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys. Bluegrass combines influences from African blues and jazz with touches from Irish ballads and elements from Methodist and Baptist Christian traditions.
The Front–royals meet them royals
The Front-Royals, as the residents of the small town are called, had the opportunity to see and talk with the real “royals”, as the reason for the visit was for the royal couple to come into contact with Americans from all walks of life, honoring 250 years of democratic independence.
However, the royal name of the city goes back to the years of the American Revolution, when soldiers of the British king were stationed here. In a historical irony, the first time a king actually visited the city with the royal name was to mark the anniversary of the republic. Charles and Camilla focused their social interactions on conversations with local beekeepers, a passion they also expressed at the White House.
Camilla continues Elizabeth’s traditions
Queen Camilla also had the opportunity to indulge her own passion for horses, visiting a horse farm in Middleburg, Virginia, and talking to representatives of organizations about the safety of horses and their riders. He discussed the effort to improve horse health and possibilities for cooperation in horse racing between the United States and the United Kingdom.
It should be noted that Queen Elizabeth, who was also known for her passion for horses, had repeatedly visited the horse farms of Virginia, as well as Kentucky. Queen Elizabeth’s tradition is now carried on by Camilla.
Charles, for his part, completed the tour with a visit to Shenandoah National Park, where a ranger introduced him to the bald eagle, the national symbol of the USA. Charles then traveled alone to Bermuda, his first visit as a monarch to the British possession, where the program includes a meeting with representatives of the Society of Zoologists and events related to youth, the environment and local cultural heritage.
