This is an opinion piece by Royal Central’s Benjamin Knights, and why he thinks it would be a grave error to withdraw a State Visit invitation to Donald Trump.
Nobody can claim that Donald Trump’s first week as President of the United States was not controversial. The billionaire property tycoon put many of his unorthodox campaign pledges in action and signalled that there would be no difference between Candidate Trump and President Trump. His latest executive order, to temporarily halt immigration from a number of Islamic countries and to impose a strict policy on refugees, has caused fury across the world. Many people, including senior British politicians, are calling on The Queen to withdraw her invitation to President Trump of an official state visit to the United Kingdom. This would be a grave error.
We have seen how a visit from the British Prime Minister Theresa May had a profound effect on President Trump. She seemingly convinced him to apply restraint to his views on torture and managed to get a “100% commitment” to NATO from the President. Trump likes and respects the United Kingdom, his mother was born in Scotland. British leaders are well positioned to influence his administration.
The Queen, approaching her Sapphire Jubilee (65 years on the throne), is the most experienced world leader on the planet. She has been a stable hand during the most turbulent times of the 20th and 21st Centuries. A petition is gaining a great deal of support online to call off President Trump’s visit to the UK in order to prevent ’embarrassment’ to Her Majesty. What an insult to The Queen. To imply that Her Majesty does not know how to deal with a visit from President Trump would be a vast mistake. This is a monarch who has reigned for 65 years, seen international leaders rise and fall, and witnessed the new world order emerge. As President Trump prepares to dismantle that very establishment, it will not be extremely momentous to The Queen. She has seen the Soviet Union collapse, the European Union emerge and spread and the founding of the UN. Donald Trump is The Queen’s thirteenth US President. She is certainly not a novice in any sense of the word.
If Theresa May can change President Trump’s mind on issues such as torture and NATO, The Queen will have a much greater influence over The Donald. Nobody knows what Her Majesty says to US presidents when she meets with them, and quite rightly too, but we can be sure that The Queen’s wealth of knowledge and experience can only be humbling and profound.
Furthermore, one of the things we love about Her Majesty is her impeccable manners. Could anyone really imagine The Queen doing something as rude as revoking an invitation, or as cowardly as running scared from a US Premier? Please let us not insult Her Majesty, she is perfectly capable of looking after herself. The whole world can learn an immense amount from the way in with she deals with foreign governments, Donald Trump’s included. The Queen should not cancel President Trump’s visit; it would be beneath her dignity.
You whomever have a right to your opinion; but, are you sure that anyone not also of the opinion that it would a waste of Her Majesty’s time has demeaned Her ability? I really have no opinion; but, have noted many Royal Central postings that ignore Her Majesty’s capable hands at statecraft, since Her illness. I trust that the Queen will be allowed to make up Her own decision on the matter.
The 500,000 who have just signed the petition to prevent the Queen from having to meet Mr Trump think otherwise.
The Queen’s invitation is a formality. It’s the government’s decision. So revoking it is not something she has any control over and not something which would reflect on her
It seems you don’t know history….When USA ,didn’t even existed,your Kings went on Crusades to fight the Turks(who are known now as Islamics)…Ironic…
THIS MAD MAN HAS BEEN TRYING TO WIN THIS ELECTION SO HE CAN FINALLY MAKES TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD. AND THAT WAS TO BECOME PRESIDENT AND TO HAVE THE WHITE HOUSE ADDRESS EVEN IF IT IS FOR A SHORT TIME AND TO RULE THE WORLD. THAT WAS HIS AIM! HE WENT OVER PEOPLE BODY TO GET TO WHERE HE IS. SO DON´T BLESS HIM WITH THE WISH TO MEET THE ROYALS. HE DOES NOT DESERVES IT.
If your Prime Minister thinks she has convinced our new President of anything, then she is totally naive. Speaking for the majority of Americans who did NOT vote for this disaster, you cannot believe anything he says. Anything.
I’m afraid I have to agree with this. The man lies through his teeth on a near constant basis.
That’s what I was thinking….she can handle him. I think he will be on his best behavior. Very open, and receptive to what she has to say.
Whilst I am absolutely certain Her Majesty can handle the Orange Bloviator with one bejeweled hand behind her back, this American sincerely hopes she never has to endure being in the same room with this narcissistic, pompous, childish man with the vocabulary of a 8 year old, a very tenuous grasp on reality, and who brags of sexually assaulting woman. The ego of this man is such, a photo of him standing next such a respected monarch is only his just due. I, personally, wouldn’t invite the man into my home. To my mind, he doesn’t deserve the honor of meeting the Queen. And it will only feed his ego. This joker will not be President long, not if he violates the Constitution he swore to uphold, 7 *days* ago.
The majority of voting Americans did not vote for this embarrassment.
Sadly the t guy is rapidly firing people and populating the administration with unsavoury types. If t gets impeached, his legacy will live on for quite a while as incarnated by said types. And that’s even scarier. To have people with dangerous views who can behave.
I cannot argue. Jeez, we are in deep, deep kimchi….
Our lunatic president will never listen to anyone but his Nazi storm trooper Steve Bannon. Dump only plays lip service to your T. May…….
I agree completely with this editorial. good relations are an imperative between Briton and the United States, as it always has been since WW-II.
Her Royal Gracious Majesty will certainly give Mr. Trump a lesson in manners, in education, in statewomanship, in History and in World’s affairs and in mastery of politics. Above all, the American President will be stopped cold at some of his pretensions. I doubt he may be able to refute HRGMs statements.
Most people fail to acknowledge the portentous ability of HM to sidestep, softly scold and cut short rude leaders. HM commands Buckingham and the whole territory. HM will tell him what to do, how to move, when to speak and when to shut up graciously. Not one World leader has been able to pass this test without acknowledging Queen ELizabeth II’s superb and undefeated political skills. Let him come… and take the unforgetable lesson back home.