King Charles reportedly raised concerns about hosting Donald Trump for a state visit in September 2025 after the US President had a public falling out with Volodymyr Zelensky, with sources saying the monarch was ‘jittery’ about the visit
King Charles reportedly voiced concerns about Donald Trump’s 2025 UK state visit months before it took place, it has been claimed. The monarch, who welcomed the US President and his wife Melania Trump at Windsor Castle last September, is said to have grown uneasy about the visit following Trump’s falling out with Volodymyr Zelensky in February 2025.
Reports suggest the King was worried about how it would look for the UK to host Trump on a state visit in the wake of his bitter row with the Ukrainian President. The dispute between Trump and Zelensky erupted after a scheduled US-Ukraine minerals deal signing descended into a televised shouting match, which resulted in the Ukrainian leader being asked to leave the White House.
In addition to scrapping a joint press conference with Zelensky, Trump also took to social media to attack him, accusing him of having “disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office.”
It is understood that this explosive confrontation between Trump and Zelensky left King Charles harbouring serious reservations about welcoming the US President to Britain later that year. The i Paper reports that the Palace communicated these concerns to the UK Government, which was then left to find the most suitable way forward.
This was largely because the UK Government feared that cancelling Trump’s state visit could cause serious damage to the special relationship, which had come to rely heavily on the King’s personal rapport with Trump — and continues to do so. The i Paper claims it was informed by several Whitehall insiders that the King was reluctant to host Trump due to his treatment of Zelensky.
One source described the monarch as “jittery” about the prospect, while another revealed he “did not want to do it”, according to the i Paper.
Emails exchanged between Peter Mandelson, then US ambassador, and officials in March 2025 laid bare the panic this triggered behind closed doors, with Government officials working to ease the King’s concerns.
Their efforts appear to have paid off, as the King did ultimately host Trump and the First Lady for a state visit in September. This came despite the fact that just days after Trump clashed with Zelensky, the King welcomed the Ukrainian President for an audience at Sandringham, in a clear show of solidarity.
According to the i Paper, this move is unlikely to have gone down well with Trump — yet it did not deter the US President from wishing to maintain his own bond with the monarch.
Buckingham Palace has been approached for comment.
