Donald Trump And King Charles: Heads Of State With Opposing Personalities
King Charles is 76 years old, the US President Donald Trump 79. They are both wealthy, previously divorced and love Scotland, where Trump's mother was born and Charles spends many holidays.
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US President Donald Trump prepares for his second UK state visit.
United Kingdom:
Despite Donald Trump's admiration for Britain's royal family, he stands in stark contrast to King Charles III, an ardent environmentalist who maintains impeccable public decorum.
Both men are in their seventies - the monarch at 76, the president at 79. They share certain commonalities: considerable wealth, previous marriages, and a fondness for Scotland, where Trump's mother was born and Charles frequently vacations.
However, their similarities appear to end there, creating an intriguing dynamic as the king hosts Trump in Britain this week for an unprecedented second state visit.
Trump, a Republican, has described himself as "a big fan" of the politically neutral royal family, including Charles's heir Prince William and his wife Catherine.
"I've gotten to know many family members. They are truly wonderful people," Trump remarked during a July visit to his Scottish golf resorts.
He acknowledges their differing perspectives but maintains they "get along" nonetheless.
"I think he's a really wonderful guy, we get along, he was a bit more into environmental restriction than I am," Trump told right-wing channel GB News last year.
Environmental issues, which the king has long championed, represent just one area where their viewpoints diverge.
'Values'
Charles welcomed Volodymyr Zelensky at his Sandringham estate in early March, shortly after the Ukrainian president experienced a challenging meeting with Trump at the White House.
This was widely interpreted as a symbolic display of support for Zelensky.
The king also subtly defended Canadian sovereignty, where he serves as head of state, after Trump suggested the possibility of making the United States's northern neighbor the 51st state.
"Democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, self-determination and freedom are values which Canadians hold dear, and ones which the government is determined to protect," Charles stated during his address opening the Canadian parliament in May.
He undertook this 24-hour journey while still undergoing cancer treatment.
As head of the Church of England, the king considers it his "duty" to safeguard religious diversity throughout the United Kingdom.
Representatives from all major faiths were invited to his May 2023 coronation, and he recently inaugurated the King Charles III wing at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, an affiliate of the prestigious university.
Trump, raised Presbyterian like his mother from Scotland's remote Isle of Lewis, stated in 2020 that he now identifies as a non-denominational Christian.
He claims to "protect the Judeo-Christian values of our founding (fathers)," as recently expressed at Washington's Museum of the Bible.
During his first term, he implemented what critics called a "Muslim ban," restricting travel from several predominantly Muslim countries.
'Very different'
Trump has alleged that Christians faced "persecution" under Joe Biden's administration and established a taskforce to eliminate "anti-Christian bias" in a nation where two-thirds identify as Christian.
At his January inauguration, following an assassination attempt, he declared he had been "saved by God to make America great again."
Some of his devoted supporters believe he possesses a divine mandate to lead.
Trump, who faced criminal conviction before returning to the White House regarding payments to an adult film actress, readily employs insults and profanities in public settings.
This sharply contrasts with Charles, who maintains consistent public courtesy, despite reports of private impatience.
Gardening might be a conversation topic best avoided between them.
Charles is an enthusiastic gardener who delights in planting trees both at home and during international visits.
Trump recently transformed the historic White House Rose Garden into a patio with chairs and umbrellas, while a massive 19th-century magnolia tree was removed earlier this year after being deemed hazardous.
"King Charles and President Donald Trump are very different personalities," historian and royal commentator Ed Owens told AFP.
"Nevertheless, it is not the king who chooses which foreign dignitaries receive state visits. That responsibility falls to the current government."
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)