Donald Trump has ‘gone cool’ on Britain since King Charles welcomed Volodymyr Zelensky to Sandringham, diplomatic sources in Washington have claimed.
Allies of the US President have made clear to UK officials in America that pictures of the King with the Ukranian leader made him feel ‘less special’ about the monarch’s invitation for a state visit to Britain.
In response, the Trump allies were told that it would have been inappropriate for the Government to ‘direct’ the King not to meet Mr Zelensky.
The King met Mr Zelensky last Sunday, just days after Sir Keir Starmer had presented Mr Trump with an invitation from Charles to fly to London for an official visit.
The overt show of solidarity came in the immediate aftermath of the row in the Oval Office between Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump, in which the US President ganged up with Vice-President JD Vance to berate him for his supposed lack of respect and gratitude for American help.
Then, on Monday, Charles also welcomed Canada‘s prime minister Justin Trudeau to Sandringham – at a time when Mr Trudeau is reeling from Mr Trump’s announcement of 25 per cent tariffs on imports from his country.
Last night, No 10 said that it ‘did not recognise’ the claims that Mr Trump was sulking over the meetings, but a well-placed source said: ‘Things definitely went a bit cool in Washington after Sandringham. We told them that the King makes his own decisions about who he meets’.
Mr Zelensky flew to Charles’ Norfolk home in a military helicopter after attending a defence summit with European leaders hosted by the Prime Minister.
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