King Charles III: The Mediator?

While the royal family is supposed to be politically impartial, King Charles appears to have been promoted to a more diplomatic role. On the 2nd of March 2025 King Charles III met President Volodymyr Zelensky at the royal family’s Norfolk estate. The Ukrainian president was reportedly “warmly received” during his one hour meeting with King Charles and told reporters he “felt very grateful for this meeting” and the support King Charles gives to Ukraine.

This meeting comes just days after Zelensky’s disastrous meeting with Donald Trump where he was berated for not wearing a suit and how he ‘lacked the cards’ necessary to beat Russia. Given that Trump has now suspended military aid to Ukraine it’s clear that Zelensky requested his meeting with King Charles as a symbol to remind the world, especially America that the UK stands with and will continue to support Ukraine.

Zelensky is not the only political leader to use a soft power approach by socialising with the royal family. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently trekked to Sandringham to meet with the King where they discussed “matters of importance to Canadians” and “Canada’s sovereign and independent future.”

Given that King Charles is the ceremonial head of state of both the UK and Canada, many Canadian politicians hoped he would publically affirm Canada’s sovereignty amid calls from Trump to annex Canada and make it the 51st US state. While the king stayed firm in his nonpolitical role, the symbolism of the meeting spoke volumes.

However, Charles has not forgotten about his longtime friend in the US as he instructed PM Keir Starmer to extend an invitation to Trump for a second state visit to the UK. Given that second term US presidents aren’t usually offered a second state visit, this was an unexpected move. A fact Keir Starmer wasted no time informing Trump of, calling the invitation “unprecedented” and “truly historic”.

The king’s recent flurry of social activity with various world leaders begs the question – are the UK government using him as an unofficial diplomat? The state invitation could be a way for the UK to maintain its special relationship status with America by buttering Trump up and avoiding ‘disrespecting’ America – a move Zelensky would have benefited from. Similarly, by meeting with Zelensky, the UK can make a symbolic show of support to Ukraine without potentially invoking the wrath of Trump.

As the UK’s closest ally seems to be becoming more isolationist by the day, the UK government appears to be using the royal family to stay out of the firing lines and repair their relationship woes.