King left as 'piggy in the middle' over Canada-US stand-off

It’s hard to imagine it, but sometimes the King just has to do as he’s told.

At least when it comes to the wishes of his governments and prime ministers in his Commonwealth realms, and just sometimes, that puts him in a difficult position.

The row between America and Canada is a prime example, the two countries in this stand-off with each other, with the King frankly left as piggy in the middle.

And that’s because his prime ministers, both Sir Keir Starmer and Mark Carney, know just how priceless royal soft diplomacy can be.

It is surprising and striking that Carney has been so blatant when he admits that inviting King Charles to open parliament is a display of sovereignty.

It’s often left to the optics of the moment to speak for themselves. But at a time when Donald Trump has been making those 51st state comments, Carney has to deploy whatever he can.

While probably not surprising, it may be difficult for the monarch and his advisors to hear how badly the offer of a state visit by Starmer to Trump has gone down in Canada. A state visit that Starmer knew was ultimately going to help the UK seal a deal with the US.

But it will make the reaction from Canadians to the King and Queen worth watching when they go to Ottawa in two weeks’ time.

There is not a lot that the King can do about that, except continue to show his support and affection for Canada.

We’ve certainly seen that in spades in recent months with various meetings with Canadians at Buckingham Palace, many made as public as possible with cameras invited in to capture them.

The palace tells us it’s not a step change or a deliberate shift of focus, but it has felt more pronounced in the current climate.

We often talked about Queen Elizabeth’s quiet influence on the world stage, but you have to remember for 70 years her son Charles was there, watching, learning and very regularly stepping in at the highest level to help achieve the diplomatic aims of the government of the day.

He knows what his role is and the “constitutional guard rails” that his aides will often refer to, that he must operate within.

In fact, as a man who I’m told constantly asks “what more can I do”, I suspect he is, in some ways, enjoying the role he knows he can and must play in this current turbulence.

Talk to anyone in diplomatic circles and they will always tell you we shouldn’t underestimate the power of a listening ear or a quiet word over a cup of tea, a speciality in which the royal family excel.

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