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| King Charles III receives Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. (Source: Getty Images) |
In the British constitutional monarchy, King Charles III is the head of state, holding symbolic power, while executive power rests with the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers, who run the country in the name of the Crown.
However, recent moves by King Charles III show the Royal Family's enormous soft power, projecting the image of a sophisticated British diplomat in a turbulent world.
Special invitation
On February 27, a letter from King Charles III with an invitation to US President Donald Trump for a second state visit was personally handed to the White House owner by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the Oval Office.
“I am very pleased to bring a letter from His Majesty the King. On this occasion, His Majesty sends his best wishes and regards to you, and he has asked me to personally deliver this letter to the President. This is truly special, unprecedented. This is a historic event,” Prime Minister Starmer emphasized when handing over the letter signed by King Charles III to President Donald Trump.
In 2019, during his first term, US President Donald Trump made a state visit to the UK at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II. In history, there has never been a precedent for a US President to make two state visits to the UK.
Therefore, political observers believe that King Charles III's invitation is a calculated move by London, aiming to consolidate and increase support from the US leader in the context that Europe and the UK are facing many challenges, including tariffs and regional security issues related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
According to historian and royal commentator Carolyn Harris, even without political intervention, King Charles III was still able to exert soft power through diplomacy, acting as a bridge to bring the parties closer together.
“The king has the ability to make invitations that few people refuse,” Carolyn Harris stressed. “The British government is particularly hopeful about the effectiveness of this with Mr. Trump, who is a great admirer of the monarchy.”
It can be seen that the love of the British Royal Family and the attraction of the monarchy are being strongly exploited by King Charles III in an effort to ease the Anglo-American relationship at a time when Washington is behaving unpredictably towards its old allies.
Welcome guests
Then, on March 2, King Charles III warmly welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk. The meeting took place shortly after Mr. Zelensky attended a special European Union (EU) summit in London and before that, had a tense debate with US President Donald Trump at the White House (February 28).
Also at Sandringham Estate, the famous British Royal resort, just one day later (March 3), King Charles III received Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the context of President Trump's renewed proposal to annex Canada to the US. After the meeting, Prime Minister Trudeau posted on social media that the two sides discussed important issues for Canadians, most of all "Canada's independent and sovereign future".
The meetings present a dilemma for King Charles III, as Britain, Ukraine and Canada have different priorities at the moment, according to historian Carolyn Harris. While President Zelensky and Prime Minister Trudeau are focused on the threat to sovereignty, Prime Minister Starmer is trying to maintain harmonious trade relations with the US.
Not long after, astute observers noticed that King Charles III was wearing several Canadian military insignia on his chest during a visit to a Royal Navy aircraft carrier.
Carolyn Harris said that some sources revealed that King Charles III was particularly interested in the situation in Canada. The King wearing the Canadian military badge was a subtle way to show support without making an official statement, avoiding embarrassing the British Prime Minister. Meanwhile, historian and royal commentator Ed Owens commented: "This is a really interesting week in diplomacy and the British Royal Family."
Notably, the fact that the meetings took place at Sandringham also carried a special message. Since the estate is the private property of King Charles III and not owned by the British government, this was seen as a subtle way for the King to show his personal support and sympathy for the leaders of Ukraine or Canada, rather than reflecting the official stance of the UK.
These diplomatic efforts by King Charles III came just before the Commonwealth Day celebrations at Westminster Abbey (March 10). In the context of many doubts about the role and cohesion of the Commonwealth, the King seemed to want to send a message: In the face of world turmoil, the Commonwealth will unite and affirm its role by bringing countries closer together.
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/thong-diep-ngoai-giao-cua-vua-charles-iii-307430.html
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