King Charles Concludes US Visit; Tariffs Adjusted, Diplomatic Incident Reported

King Charles and Queen Camilla concluded their state visit to the United States on Thursday, following events in Washington DC, New York, and Virginia. The visit marked the 250th anniversary of US independence and included the King's address to a joint session of Congress, where he referenced NATO, Ukraine, and climate change.

President Trump described the King as an 'elegant man' and noted his late mother's admiration for Charles. The state dinner featured gold-encrusted plates and historical banter, with Charles joking about past British actions in North America. Trump suggested without evidence that the King agreed with his stance on Iran's nuclear capabilities.

The visit aimed to mend UK-US relations strained by differences over the war in Iran.

Trump announced the removal of all tariffs and restrictions on whisky imports from Scotland and Ireland in honor of the royal visit. He stated the move would allow Scotland to collaborate with Kentucky on whisky and bourbon production, benefiting industries in both regions.

The UK government confirmed the change applies to all whisky tariffs. Scotland's First Minister John Swinney described the decision as 'tremendous news' for Scotland, noting it would prevent monthly economic losses in the millions of pounds. The Scotch Whisky Association reported that tariffs had cost the industry around 150 million pounds in lost exports over the past year.

UK Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle said the removal supports nearly 1 billion pounds in exports and thousands of jobs.

“The King and Queen got me to do something that nobody else was able to do, without hardly even asking! A wonderful honour to have them both in the USA.”

Separately, Trump announced an increase in tariffs on cars and lorries imported from the EU, raising the rate from 15% to 25% effective next week. He accused the EU of non-compliance with a trade deal agreed last summer at his golf course in Scotland.

Vehicles made in the US by EU companies are exempt from the increase. The EU parliament's international trade committee chair, Bernd Lange, stated the move shows unreliability from the US and called for a firm response. The European Commission affirmed commitment to the prior deal and said it would keep options open to protect EU interests.

The original deal had reduced tariffs from a proposed 50% to 15%.

Mamdani's spokesman, Joe Calvello, told reporters the mayor is generally opposed to the idea of a king. When asked what he would say to the King, Mamdani suggested encouraging the return of the Koh-i-Noor diamond. Indian MP Shashi Tharoor has previously stated that Britain owes India for colonial rapacity and should return the diamond.

Mamdani, born in Uganda to Indian parents focused on colonialism, has spoken on related issues, including Britain's colonial project in Ireland. The snub shifted focus from the visit's pomp to debates over colonial artifacts. Royal watchers note that King Charles does not personally own the diamond and lacks authority to return it.

The visit occurred amid calls from some UK parliament members to cancel it after Trump threatened additional tariffs on Britain. Audio obtained by the Financial Times revealed British ambassador Christian Turner commenting on the Jeffrey Epstein scandal's impact in the UK compared to the US.

Turner noted it affected a senior royal, an ambassador, and potentially the prime minister, but spared US figures. ' Other issues include reports of a US proposal to withdraw support for British sovereignty in the Falklands. In his speech, he acknowledged that the UK and US 'do not always agree' but share an enduring partnership.

Trump avoided discussing policy disagreements with Starmer during the visit.