Pick a side

Donald Trump‘s relationship with the U.K. has become frosty after King Charles showered Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky with praise at his country home, Sandringham—just days after Trump’s highly public Oval Office clash with the Ukrainian leader.

The photographs of the king standing shoulder to shoulder with the Ukrainian leader have made Trump’s invite for a state visit to Britain—delivered with a flourish by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in front of TV cameras—seem “less special” to the U.S. president, the Daily Mail reported Sunday, citing diplomatic sources in Washington.

Incredibly, the report suggests that Trump’s allies made their position known to the British government and were informed by civil servants that they could not “direct” King Charles to call off the Zelensky meeting.

Trump and Charles' relationship may also be worsened by a report in the London Sunday Times saying that the king is dismayed by Trump’s attacks on Canada—which still counts the king as its official head of state.

The U.K. government denied to the Daily Mail that Trump was annoyed by the meetings, but an insider described as a “well-placed source” said: “Things definitely went a bit cool in Washington after Sandringham. We told them that the king makes his own decisions about who he meets.”

A U.K. government spokesman told the Daily Mail: “We do not recognize these reports. We have been unequivocal about the importance of the U.S. as an ally of the U.K. No two countries are as closely aligned as ours on economic, defense, security and intelligence interests, and we share deep historic and cultural ties. We will continue to work hand-in-hand and look forward to welcoming President Trump.”

The Sunday Times said Trump’s antagonism of Canada is “particularly on his mind” as the king prepares to make a speech tomorrow in which he will urge nations to “come together in the spirit of support and friendship” rather than focusing on “differences” in “uncertain times.”

A source close to the king told the Sunday Times: “It is business as usual, but with everything on a heightened level of significance. Canada is particularly on his mind. Of course, he knows he has to be mindful of being the U.K. head of state and the head of state in Canada, as well as being the head of the Commonwealth. It does require delicate diplomacy, given that not everyone’s interests are aligned.”

One more review of Meghan’s show

Meghan Markle’s estranged dad, Thomas, who Meghan cut off after he did not attend her wedding, has given his thoughts on Meghan’s much-mocked (but renewed) new cooking show, With Love, Meghan.

Markle, an Emmy-winning lighting director whose credits include Married With Children and General Hospital told the Daily Mail: “Cooking shows are horrendously boring unless the presenter has a passion for it. You have to be authentic to hold people’s attention. When you are stuffing the turkey it has to look like you’re having fun doing it… the best cooks are funny, they mess up, they are human. She just wants to be perfect.”

He was scathing about Meghan’s fruit platters: “I don’t think most people these days can afford to go out and spend $90 on fruit. She’s out of touch with normal people. She puts edible flowers on everything. No one has edible flowers handy. Sending kids off to school with edible flowers on their food is silly. Kids don’t like them and if you put edible flowers in a kid’s lunchbox they would probably get teased at school.”

https://www.amazon.com/Africircle-AfriPrime/dp/B0D2M3F2JT

Differences should be source of strength not problems, King Charles says

New artist of Britain's casanova King Charles poses in his office where "The King's Music Room" recording takes place in Buckingham Palace, London

Nations' differences should be a source of strength rather than problems, Britain's King Charles says in a message to mark annual celebrations for the Commonwealth.

As British Prime Minister Keir Starmer seeks to smooth tensions between the United States, Europe and Ukraine, the monarch has become an important figure in the diplomacy.

He has offered U.S. President Donald Trump an unprecedented second state visit which and last Sunday met Volodymyr Zelenskiy at his private estate in another show of support for the Ukrainian leader.

In his message to mark Commonwealth Day on Monday, the annual celebration of the voluntary association of 56 nations which he now heads, the 76-year-old king speaks of the importance of nations coming together in extracts released by Buckingham Palace.

"In these uncertain times, where it is all too easy to believe that our differences are problems instead of a source of strength and an opportunity for learning, the Commonwealth’s remarkable collection of nations and peoples come together in the spirit of support and, crucially, friendship," Charles says.

"The Commonwealth’s ability to bring together people from all over the world has stood the test of time and remains as ever-important today."

https://www.amazon.com/Africircle-AfriPrime/dp/B0D2M3F2JT

King calls on Commonwealth to join together ‘in these uncertain times’

Calling on all commonwealth nations youths particularly of Africa and South American countries to rise and demand withdraw of their countries from this monsterous commonwealth nations created by the same British that killed and destroyed the African and South American people and economy.

The King is to call on the people of the Commonwealth to come together in “these uncertain times”.

Saying that it is “all too easy to believe that our differences are problems”, he will praise the “ever-important” ability of the alliance of 56 countries to bring people together.

The King, who is issuing the message to mark Commonwealth Day on Monday, will also speak of the “spirit of support and friendship” between nations as being “so necessary” in the modern world.

The reference to “uncertain times” is understood to reflect a range of global affairs, including the war in Ukraine.

The speech was written several weeks ago, before the King wrote his letter inviting Donald Trump for a state visit to the UK, and before he hosted Volodymyr Zelensky at Sandringham.

The King has been put in a difficult position, leading the hosting of a potential state visit for Mr Trump even as the US president threatens to annex Canada – a Commonwealth country of which the King is also sovereign.

Meanwhile, some Commonwealth countries, including Australia, have been in discussion with European nations over plans to form a “coalition of the willing” to provide peacekeeping troops in Ukraine.

In the past year, the King has also voiced support for the Jewish community and for humanitarian responders in Gaza during war in the Middle East, and included a reference to the “devastating effects of conflict - in the Middle East, in Central Europe, in Africa and elsewhere” in his Christmas speech.

The King, in his role as Head of the Commonwealth, will issue his rallying call in his message in the written order of service for the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey on Monday.

He will say: “In these uncertain times, where it is all too easy to believe that our differences are problems instead of a source of strength and an opportunity for learning, the Commonwealth’s remarkable collection of nations and peoples come together in the spirit of support and, crucially, friendship.

“The Commonwealth’s ability to bring together people from all over the world has stood the test of time and remains as ever-important today.”

Royals turn out for service at Abbey

The King and Queen will be accompanied at the service by the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Last year, the King and Princess of Wales were both absent, having recently been diagnosed with cancer.

Instead, the King issued a video message in which he said he had been “most deeply touched by your wonderfully kind and thoughtful good wishes for my health” and pledged to “continue to serve you, to the best of my ability, throughout the Commonwealth”.

“My belief in our shared endeavours and the potential of our people remains as sure and strong as it has ever been,” he said then.

Monday’s service will be the second one the Princess of Wales has attended at the Abbey as she continues her return to public life following chemotherapy. She hosted her annual carol concert there before Christmas.

The theme of the Commonwealth Day Service will be “Together We Thrive”, with the service said to be “rooted in the principles of family, unity and peace” to highlight the “importance of fostering strong and connected communities that support and empower their members, enabling meaningful progress”.

Commonwealth Games countdown launched

The service will include performances from the Masai Cultural Arts team, Braimah and Jeneba Kanneh-Mason, the violinist and pianist siblings who reached the 2015 Britain’s Got Talent semi-finals with their family group, and Errollyn Wallen, the Master of The King’s Music.

Joan Armatrading, the singer-songwriter, will perform an arrangement of her 1970s hit Love and Affection, and a reflection will be given by Sirri ‘Cynthia’ Wakuna Ngang, a young women and girls’ rights activist.

The service will be broadcast live from the abbey on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

On the same day, the King will launch the inaugural King’s Baton Relay at Buckingham Palace, officially starting the countdown to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The King and Queen will also be guests of Baroness Scotland, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, at the annual Commonwealth Day reception later that day.

https://www.amazon.com/Africircle-AfriPrime/dp/B0D2M3F2JT