Despite being scheduled to meet Donald Trump five times in four days, King Charles should not have fears about his safety, royal biographer Robert Hardman has told a live Palace Confidential audience in New York City.
Security Concerns Compared to Past Reigns
Hardman said the security concerns surrounding the official state visit, which begins today, are nothing compared to some of the threats the late Queen faced down during her historic 70-year reign.
Fears for the King and Queen Camilla's safety have grown in recent days after a gunman attempted to storm the White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington, firing at least one shot before being apprehended by Secret Service agents. It marks the third attempt on Trump's life in less than two years.
Historical Perspective
Speaking to an audience of fans inside the spectacular Winter Gardens at New York's Waldorf Astoria Residences, Hardman looked to history to illustrate just how much more dangerous royal tours of the past could be.
"We have been here before," the royal biographer said. "Some of the state visits the late Queen had to go on were far more worrying than this. Donald Trump loves the Royal Family - nothing's going to go wrong, it's going to be all sweetness and light."
He recalled the Queen's 1961 visit to Ghana with bombs going off, her 1964 trip to Quebec amid riots, and her 1979 visit to Zambia where Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher tried to stop her due to rumours of guerrilla missile attacks. "She went anyway," Hardman noted. "In the order of things to worry about on a Royal tour, this one I would say is fairly low down the list."
Planned Security Measures
Palace co-host Rebecca English agreed with Hardman, adding that the visit had been specifically planned to avoid walkabouts, the informal moments where the King and President move freely among members of the public. "The opportunities for walkabouts are negligible on this trip," she explained. "They are not happening at all. They have been advised not to do them by the Security Services here. They will still meet members of the public at events, but it's going to be carefully curated."
These restrictions may prove difficult for King Charles, who, Hardman noted, has been fond of embracing members of the public on occasion. "Charles is very tactile. He likes engaging with the public. He likes a hug. Actually, he's quite a huggy King," Hardman said. "The very first member of the public he met, the day after the Queen's death, was in floods of tears. She told him: 'I don't want a handshake. I want a hug.' He hugged her - that was his first act as King."
Buckingham Palace said the King was "greatly relieved" that Trump, the First Lady and all guests had escaped unharmed, before confirming on Sunday that the state visit would proceed as planned following discussions on both sides of the Atlantic.
