President Donald Trump offered high praise for the British royal family during a press conference Monday with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, calling King Charles and Queen Camilla “really great people” and saying the United Kingdom is fortunate to have them.
“Being with Charles, Camilla, and everybody — I’ve gotten to know a lot of the family members. They’re great people. They really are,” Trump said during his remarks in Scotland. “In that sense, I think the U.K. is very lucky. You could have people that weren’t great people.”
While Trump did not meet with King Charles during his current visit to Scotland, he is scheduled to return to the U.K. in September for his second official state visit. The visit, which will take place September 17–19 at Windsor Castle, marks a rare second state invitation for a sitting U.S. president. A formal letter from the King was hand-delivered to the White House earlier this year.
A Buckingham Palace aide confirmed the upcoming visit, saying: “His Majesty has known President Trump for many years and looks forward to hosting him and the First Lady later this year.”
Trump previously met with Queen Elizabeth II during his first state visit in 2019 and shared a tribute after her death in 2022. “Queen Elizabeth’s historic and remarkable reign left a tremendous legacy of peace and prosperity for Great Britain,” he wrote on Truth Social at the time. “She will always be remembered for her faithfulness to her country and her unwavering devotion to her fellow countrymen and women.”
Despite the cordial public tone, some royal insiders have reportedly expressed concern about Trump’s behavior during the upcoming visit. According to The Daily Beast, members of the King’s inner circle are wary in light of Trump’s recent inflammatory comments about immigration in Europe and Canada.
After landing in Glasgow last Friday, Trump warned reporters that unchecked immigration could “destroy Europe.”
“You better get your act together or you’re not going to have Europe anymore,” Trump said. “You’ve got to stop this horrible invasion that is happening. Some leaders have stopped it — they deserve more credit.”
While Trump praised the royal family, he was less diplomatic about other U.K. figures. Speaking alongside Prime Minister Starmer, Trump said, “I’m not a fan of your mayor. Sadiq Khan is a nasty person — he’s done a terrible job.”
Starmer pushed back, replying, “He’s actually a friend of mine,” to which Trump simply reiterated his disapproval: “I think he’s done a terrible job.”
Despite the tensions, Trump’s visit with the royal family is expected to go ahead as planned in September.
