Unless you live under a rock you probably know that US President Joe Biden has spent the past few days here in Europe. While the main purpose of the trip was a crucial NATO summit in Lithuania, the president started the week with a brief stop in London aimed at bolstering the US-UK "special relationship."
It was a visit of high-stakes diplomacy that came days after the American commander-in-chief's controversial decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine -- something the UK is firmly against as a signatory of a ban on the weapon.
First, he met with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak before climbing aboard Marine One for a short flight to Windsor to meet King Charles III. It was their first in-person chat since Charles was crowned in May. But there appeared to be no hurt feelings over Biden's non-attendance at the coronation, with the King warmly welcoming his guest with a guard of honor.
This wasn't a full-on formal state visit, which usually lasts several days and is full of pageantry, diplomatic sit-downs and a glittering Buckingham Palace banquet. Instead, the catch-up was billed as a ceremonial state welcome.
The display of military personnel – formed of the Prince of Wales' Company of the Welsh Guards on this occasion – was "designed to show the ultimate respect to the United States, our greatest ally, and used troops with some of the closest links to the King who are also preparing to deploy to the US to train alongside US forces in a matter of weeks," according to the British Army. |
National anthems were performed, followed by the two heads of state inspecting the troops. At several points, Biden placed his hand on the King's back, in a tactile display of their close rapport. The gesture was later described to us by a royal source as being a "wonderful symbol of warmth and affection."
As is often the case when a president comes to town, some observers scrutinized Biden's moves for a potential breach of regal etiquette. But the royal source told CNN that the King is "entirely comfortable with that kind of contact" and that "contrary to some reports that is in fact the correct protocol."
Afterward, the two had tea together before they viewed a Royal Collection exhibition of items relating to the US. On the face of it, the encounter seemed entirely similar to those conducted by the late Queen Elizabeth II. However, there was some deviation you may have missed.
Ahead of the meeting, it was revealed what the monarch and president would be discussing on Monday: climate change – a subject important to both men. It was a move that Charles' late mother never allowed. The Queen, always regimented and steadfast in her duties, never revealed what she discussed with the 12 presidents she met during her reign. The few insights we've had have come from former presidents and tended to reveal how she made them feel welcomed or their impressions of her given her lengthy reign, rather than the specifics of their meetings.
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Another departure from the Queen's approach to presidential meetings was that a concurrent event took place at Windsor Castle, which the pair later joined in the castle's Green Drawing Room. High-profile private sector stakeholders had been brought together for a Climate Finance Mobilisation Forum aimed at bolstering "commitments to climate action within emerging markets and developing economies."
UK Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps heralded the King's "many decades" of sounding the alarm around climate change and told Biden he was "enormously pleased" by the climate provisions in the US Inflation Reduction Act passed last August. He noted there would be "a couple of billion dollars' worth of pledges" coming out of the meeting, adding that the group planned to turn their discussion into "real, tangible outcomes."
Neither the King nor Biden spoke on camera while media were allowed in the room. Among the group of top financiers and philanthropists was Biden's special presidential envoy for climate, John Kerry. He spoke to us for a few minutes afterward and called Monday's engagement "time well spent" and praised the King's "convening power" on a critical issue.
The attendees "agreed that we need to accelerate the deployment of capital, money, investment in the new energy economy." The president, Kerry said, was particularly interested in a part of the discussion focused on "what could be done in the insurance industry to be able to provide insurance for certain types of investments." |
Some critics had questioned whether the King had overstepped by wading into policy. Kerry wouldn't be drawn on the subject but said there had been a "great discussion" and characterized it as more of a "briefing" for the King, who, he said, "didn't take part in the meeting" itself.
The British sovereign, Kerry said, "does have extraordinary convening power."
"He obviously has great respect for people that are pushing an issue he's cared about for all of his life," said Kerry.
(CNN's Betsy Klein contributed reporting.)
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The Royal Shakespeare Company is putting on a particularly special performance next Tuesday when several members of the royal family will be in the front row. The renowned group has been invited to Windsor Castle for a reception hosted by the King and Queen to honor the Bard and mark 400 years since the publication of the first Shakespeare folio.
The First Folio is widely considered the most important collection of literature in the English language. First published in 1623 by two of Shakespeare's friends – John Heminges and Henry Condell – just seven years after his death, it is an assembly of 36 of his cherished works. It contains 18 works that had not previously appeared in print and would otherwise have been lost to history, including "Macbeth" and "Twelfth Night."
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Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester will join Charles and Camilla for the celebration.
King Charles is known to have a keen interest in Shakespeare, and even performed in plays during his college years. He became president of the RSC in 1991 and has often invoked his words in some of his speeches over the years. One of the most recent examples was when he paid tribute to his "beloved mother" in his first televised address as sovereign and said "may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest" – drawn from a line in "Hamlet." |
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Harry and Meghan's Netflix doc gets award nomination. |
The Sussexes' controversial Netflix series is in contention for an award after being listed among nominees for a Hollywood Critics Association Award in the Best Streaming Nonfiction category. The couple's documentary is up against "Prehistoric Planet 2," "The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy" and "Rennervations," among others. "Harry & Meghan" was released in December and was produced as part of a multi-year deal the couple signed with Netflix. The nomination comes weeks after the couple and Spotify ended a separate partnership, which was intended to include numerous audio programs but ultimately only produced one series and a holiday special. The conclusion of the Spotify deal has given rise to some speculation over the longevity of the Netflix tie-up.
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For the second week of the 2023 Wimbledon Championship, the Queen herself made an appearance at the All England Club. In what must have been a real treat ahead of her 76th birthday on July 17, Camilla joined spectators to watch all the action of day 10 of the tournament from the royal box. |
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As summer reaches its height in the UK and Europe, millions of people are heading off on vacation or taking some time away from work to catch up with friends and relatives. And that will include the royals. July and August tend to be quieter months in the royal calendar, as members of the clan take a break from their heavy schedule of public duties.
Suddenly, the jetsetting and hectic timetable of public appearances, speeches and royal tours stops – and members go off-grid. But how easy is it for the royal family to truly get away from it all – and what happens on a royal holiday?
Read all about it in this feature from our archives. |
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“From Andros to San Salvador, Eleuthera to Inagua, Grand Bahama to Nassau and across the beautiful family islands of the Commonwealth of Bahamas, my wife and I send you all our warmest and most heartfelt congratulations at this very special time.”
– King Charles congratulates the Bahamas as it marks 50 years of independence.
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Charles may have had a VVIP guest on Monday but he made sure to send a message celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Bahamas' independence from Britain. In the lengthy note, the King spoke of a deep affection for the nation and of his previous visit, as well as those of his late mother and father between 1966 and 1994. More recent trips by Prince William and Kate last year and Prince Edward and Sophie in the spring also got a mention.
He shared that the Bahamas has "always felt like a home away from home" for his family and acknowledged that the Commonwealth nation has suffered severely as a result of global warming and climate change. He also praised the many stories of Bahamian success throughout the past five decades and said he hoped "to be able to celebrate with you as soon as possible, and to meet some of the many Bahamians who are already shaping the next fifty years." Read his full message here.
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Hello Royal News readers, The newsletter will be taking a short break while we go on vacations in the coming weeks. We'll be back in your inboxes on August 4.
--Max & Lauren
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