The king, apparently, is the best ambassador the United Kingdom has. And sure – so far his state visit to Washington DC has been an exercise in charm and diplomacy. His jokes at the state banquet on Tuesday night landed well (the meal was a “very considerable improvement on the Boston Tea Party”); and at a garden party in the British embassy the DC power brokers were desperate to catch a glimpse of Britain’s king Charles III. Here is a real British asset in a smart suit with a patrician drawl. And the Americans love him.

But not only that. Contained within all the niceties, as commentators breathlessly point out, the king was actually admonishing US president Donald Trump. “America’s words carry weight and meaning, as they have since independence,” he said. “The actions of this great nation matter even more.”

Encoded elsewhere in his address were appeals to the rule of law and the sanctity of Nato and warnings of the knock-on effects of global conflict. So deft, subtle, understated, English ... powerful? “TWO KINGS”, the White House tweeted with a picture of Charles and Trump. And so special relationship repaired. All in a day’s work.

It’s a nice fantasy. But total garbage of course. Fine, Trump does seem to really like the........

© The Irish Times