Trump state visit shows the King has won the battle for Canada
The fest, as Donald Trump likes to call it, is coming.
The King will host the US president in September for a full state visit after plans were put on fast forward by the Government.
The upgraded visit, originally proposed as a semi-private trip to see the King in Scotland, will give team Trump the 'full bells and whistles' treatment and be based at Windsor Castle for the finest soft power the UK can throw at them.
It is said to have caused tension between the palace and Government, placing the King in the unenviable position of formally hosting a head of state who has threatened to annex one of his own realms.
After reports of the Prime Minister going 'against the wishes of the King', a Downing Street spokesman denied that Sir Keir Starmer had 'overruled' him when negotiating with the White House.
Palace sources dismissed the idea that there is tension between the King and Sir Keir, emphasising that the monarch acts on the advice of the Government.
'His Majesty has known president Trump for many years and looks forward to hosting him and the first lady later this year,' a palace aide said.
The message? The red carpet will be rolled out as usual.
It is no secret though that the US state visit has proven one of the thorniest issues for the King on this year's diplomatic stage.
Mr Trump has repeatedly threatened to annex Canada, insisting relentlessly that it should be America's '51st state'. The UK nevertheless invited him to be honoured.
In turn, Mark Carney, the Canadian prime minister, said his countrymen ' weren't impressed ' by the state visit invitation.
British diplomats noted that Mr Carney risked breaching the convention that realms tend not to publicly criticise one another.
However, the King stepped up.
As Canadian sovereign, he was dragged willingly into Canada's plans to show its own power.
The King's involvement saw him fly to Ottawa in May for less than 24 hours on Canadian soil to deliver a speech at its parliament, reminding the world it is 'strong and free'.
It was rightly interpreted as a public rebuke of Mr Trump's ambitions. One senior palace source said it was intended as 'thought-provoking, not provocative'.
The King was, they said, 'leveraging on the long relationships he has built over the years' and using his role 'to the benefit of all the realms and commonwealth nations at a time of great international challenge'.
Then, the idea of hosting Mr Trump in September seemed a challenge. However, the storyline has moved on.
Some would argue, in fact, that the firming up of plans for the US state visit is a sign that the King has quietly won the battle for Canada.
Everyone is aware of the 'diplomatic tightrope' the King has been walking, said one source, but he has done so with 'great skill'.
'I don't think anyone is now in doubt about the King's support and affection for Canada,' they said.
When he is photographed shaking hands with Mr Trump, it is believed there will be no hurt feelings from Canadians who have already heard about the King's allegiance in person.
Last week, Mr Carney said he no longer believes Mr Trump is interested in a '51st state' plan.
Asked by CNN whether the US president is still threatening to annex Canada, he said: 'No, he is not.'
'He admires Canada,' he added. 'I think it's fair to say maybe for a period of time [he] coveted Canada.'
The UK Government, which has prioritised trade deals and defence rather than siding with Canada in any war of words, has stuck to the basic party line that Canada is an 'independent, sovereign nation'.
It is a matter of some satisfaction in British diplomatic circles that Mr Trump's rhetoric has dialled down drastically.
'We haven't heard much about Canada, have we?' one source asked of the past few weeks.
The King's transatlantic show of force, it seems, has worked.
Mr Trump has got his way when it comes to the details of the state visit. His team made it clear that the original suggestion of a low-key trip to see the King was not the order of the day.
'The president loves the pomp and ceremony,' said one source familiar with the negotiations. 'He doesn't want a private photograph with the Royal family – he wants a public one.'
Mr Trump has described it as a 'fest', denoting the high level of flattery and fun he expects.
The manu regia – the formal paperwork cementing the invitation – was signed by the King last week and hand delivered to the White House by representatives from the British Embassy in Washington.
The King hopes to return to Canada at some point soon.
Before then, he will raise a toast to the US at a state banquet in September with Mr Trump by his side.
If the King's inevitable praise for America and Americans can be heard without guests' minds leaping immediately to Canada, the palace can consider it a job well done.
It is a strategy not without risk, but high stakes can produce high rewards.
It could – and should – be the moment that the idea of America invading its nearest neighbour is finally put to rest.
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