Why King Charles Didn't Publicly Congratulate Donald Trump On Election Night

In a shocking comeback story, Donald Trump was re-elected president in a decisive victory on November 5. It will be his last chance to prove himself as a leader; Trump can't run for a third term because of the Constitutional amendment restricting presidents to two turns in office. The divisive president-elect was immediately met with congratulations from world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. In his statement, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said (via Associated Press): "[A]s the closest of allies, the U.K. and U.S. will continue to work together to protect our shared values of freedom and democracy." But another prominent U.K. figure has remained silent about the news: King Charles has not released a reaction on social media or elsewhere. Is it possible Melania Trump's statements about her friendship with Charles have been exaggerated?

Apparently not. The king is simply following long-standing protocol. According to the British outlet Jersey Evening Post, a monarch is expected to offer congratulations to an American president following their inauguration day, rather than when the poll results are announced. Furthermore, those greetings are traditionally private ones, so don't expect an Instagram statement from the Buckingham Palace account on January 20, 2025. 

This policy may extend to the heir apparent, as well. Prince William has similarly declined to comment on the historic win, though he's been rather busy of late: On election day, he was in South Africa to present the Earthshot Prize, one of his most cherished initiatives.

Despite that bit of unpleasantness back in 1776, the U.S. and Great Britain have maintained good relations for decades, and there's no reason to expect this will change during a second Donald Trump presidency. True, he has had his awkward moments with the royals over the years. Brits won't soon forget Trump's breach of etiquette during a state visit when he tried to walk in front of Queen Elizabeth (the monarch always leads the way), A biographer once claimed the queen found Trump "very rude," per the Daily Mail, because of his habit of looking past her during their conversations. Even so, Trump's relationship with Queen Elizabeth was cordial in public, and there was no fear the two countries would dissolve their bonds over a misstep or two.

And there have been other missteps. On a radio interview, Trump once made a crude remark about being able to bed Princess Diana — not a smart move when so many still love the "People's Princess." And in 2012, he reacted to news of Kate Middleton sunbathing topless by scolding her on X (formerly Twitter) for her indiscretion. Charles and his sons, Princes William and Harry, were reportedly livid at that.

But in the true British tradition of keeping calm and carrying on, King Charles and Queen Camilla will continue to welcome the once-and-future president to their royal residences at least once during his second term. Diplomatic relations between two Western powerhouses are more important than bruised feelings. And once Trump has taken his oath of office, he can begin watching the White House mailbox for an official note of congratulations from across the pond.