A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Pomp, pageantry and maybe some politics as King Charles III and Queen Camilla begin a state visit to Washington today.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
This royal visit marks 250 years since the United States declared independence from Charles' ancestor King George back in 1776, as seen in "Hamilton." The U.S. and U.K. are now close allies. But there's discord over Iran and Ukraine, and the king might get drawn in.
MARTÍNEZ: NPR's Lauren Frayer joins us now from London. Lauren, the royals are in Washington. What's the scene back in London?
LAUREN FRAYER, BYLINE: Well, polls show most Brits do not support this trip. I've just come this morning from Buckingham Palace, where there was a small protest outside the palace gates - people in King Charles and Donald Trump masks. And they held up a giant cardboard fake missile with the words complicit written on it. I spoke to one of the protesters, Tom Walker from a group called the Stop Trump Coalition. They were behind that baby Trump blimp that flew over London during a Trump visit in his first presidential term. Walker says he doesn't want the King's visit to be seen as a show of support for Trump and his war in Iran.
TOM WALKER: I just think it's an absolute national embarrassment, really, to be a poodle of Donald Trump. To send the king - it's really part of this same failed strategy of trying to appease Donald Trump.
FRAYER: Some British politicians called for the royals to cancel this trip. But U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer wanted it to go ahead, even after President Trump actually insulted him personally.
MARTÍNEZ: What has the president said?
FRAYER: He's repeatedly said Starmer is, quote, "no Winston Churchill," a reference to that World War II-era leader who cooperated so closely with the United States. Starmer denied the U.S. full access to British military bases for offensive attacks on Iran, and that angered Trump. Starmer's also argued for more aid to Ukraine than Trump has been willing to give. You know, the U.K. is one of America's closest allies, but these things have really dragged the relationship to a real low. But Trump loves the royals. The BBC asked Trump whether this royal visit can heal transatlantic relations. He said, absolutely. And while the king is supposed to be apolitical, there's a feeling here that he could be Britain's, you know, secret weapon to charm Trump and try to ease these tensions.
MARTÍNEZ: Considering this weekend's shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, any security concerns for the royals?
FRAYER: Yeah. So the king reached out privately to Trump and the first lady after Saturday's shooting, expressed sympathy and gratitude that more people weren't hurt. The palace's discussions took place all day Sunday to try to figure out, you know, how this shooting may impact operational planning and then confirmed the visit is a go, with possibly minor adjustments to the agenda.
MARTÍNEZ: I know tea's on the agenda. What about anything else?
FRAYER: Tea is on the agenda this afternoon at the White House. Tomorrow, a 21-gun salute. The king will address a joint session of Congress, only the second British monarch ever to do that. His mom did it as well. Then a state banquet. On Wednesday, the king heads to New York - will visit the 9/11 memorial, meet business leaders. Thursday, back to D.C., a trip to Arlington National Cemetery.
What is not on the agenda is a trip, as far as we know, to California to meet his son Prince Harry or, despite what one member of Congress has asked for, a meeting with any of Jeffrey Epstein's victims. You'll remember the king's own brother settled a lawsuit with an Epstein victim, denies wrongdoing, but was stripped of his title - prince - and is under investigation. We'll see if protesters turn up on your side of the pond over that.
MARTÍNEZ: All right. That's NPR's Lauren Frayer in London. Lauren, thanks.
FRAYER: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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