Britain is increasingly using King Charles for diplomatic work in difficult political settings as its global influence declines, a senior royal aide told Reuters after the monarch’s Caribbean tour.
Reuters reported that the government enlisted Charles to help smooth relations with U.S. President Donald Trump amid tensions, including over the Iran war. Charles received Trump during a state visit, then made a reciprocal state visit to the United States. The aide said the king can connect with audiences that politicians might struggle to reach.
Reuters said the aide saw a pattern emerging in the fifth year of Charles’ reign: the government asking him to enter politically charged situations. The aide described repairing relationships with countries facing difficult political issues as a role Charles relishes. Charles became king in September 2022, following Queen Elizabeth II’s death, Reuters reported.
Charles’ trip also included a gathering of the 56-member Commonwealth of Nations, which he heads. The trip was dominated by questions about whether Britain and the monarch should apologize for the transatlantic slave trade and offer reparations. Reuters reported that Charles made neither commitment in his speeches, consistent with government policy, while Commonwealth leaders broadly welcomed his expression of sorrow over slavery as a step forward. The visit followed campaigners’ calls for a full apology before Charles’ Caribbean trip.
Reuters described Charles as Britain’s symbolic head of state, whose constitutional position requires him to stay out of politics. The government has looked to the monarchy for diplomacy as Britain’s influence in world affairs has waned, the news agency reported.
Charles is head of state in 15 countries, among them Canada and Australia, though that status may change. Barbados, the latest to leave the monarchy, did so in 2021, Reuters reported. The aide said member countries and the Commonwealth will determine their future arrangements, with the royal family’s role depending on whether they want it.
