Calls are growing in the UK to cancel or postpone King Charles III’s state visit to the United States, scheduled for April 2026. The reasons for this are President Donald Trump’s harsh criticism and insults of the British government, as well as the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey openly called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to advise the King to cancel the trip. He argued that the visit, under current circumstances, would be a “diplomatic victory for President Trump,” who, in Davey’s view, has “repeatedly insulted and damaged our country,” launched an “illegal war” in the Middle East, and used British bases without proper approval.
Similar demands have been voiced by several MPs, including Labour MPs. Whitehall is discussing the possibility of quietly postponing the visit “until tensions subside” and the conflict with Iran subsides. According to sources in British and American official circles, the trip is currently in doubt—it could either be significantly shortened or postponed entirely to a later date in 2026.
The visit by King and Queen Camilla was originally planned as a symbol of strengthening the “special relationship” between the two countries and was to take place as part of the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of US independence. However, a series of public attacks by Trump against Starmer (including nicknames like “loser” and negative comparisons to Churchill), as well as disagreements over Iran and potential tariffs, have created a tense atmosphere surrounding the trip.
There has been no official announcement from Buckingham Palace or 10 Downing Street regarding cancellation or postponement. Some commentators believe cancellation would be too strong a signal of rupture and would only exacerbate the conflict with Trump, while others insist that giving the president such a “PR gift” is unacceptable now.
The situation remains uncertain, and the coming days could be decisive for the fate of this historic visit—the first state visit by a British monarch to the US in nearly two decades.