Royals Visit US Amid Tensions, Opposition

0:00Buckingham Palace just confirmed, King Charles and Queen Camilla are heading to the United States for a state visit with President Donald Trump from April 27th through 30th. It's the first monarch visit there in nearly 20 years, complete with a White House banquet and a speech to Congress. This comes right as ties between the U.S. and UK strain over the Iran conflict. Tensions spiked when Trump blasted the UK on true social, telling them to fight for their own oil in the Strait of Hormuz and that America won't bail. Dem out anymore. Meanwhile, France, Spain, and Italy have shut down airspace and bases to U.S. military planes, supporting operations against Iran, with Spain's foreign, minister standing firm on international law. Back home, a Yuga of pole shows nearly half of Brits opposed the trip with only a third in favor. Opposition leaders like Emily Thorneberry and Ed Davy urged delaying or skipping it to avoid rewarding Trump, and groups like to stop Trump coalition. Call it appeasement amid daily insults and war costs?

1:03Trump's hype though, posting he'll have a terrific time with the King he respects. A U.S. envoy warned canceling would be a big mistake, especially as a special relationship phrase since Trump's last UK visit. Even a Democratic congressman wants the King to meet Epstein survivors during the trip, citing UK links through Maxwell and others. After the U.S. link celebrating America's 250th independence anniversary, the royals head to Bermuda for the King's first visit there, as Monarch, aiming to keep diplomatic channels open despite the heat. That's your update from Sydney News Today, powered by AI.