Senior politicians including Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, said the visit should be cancelled in the wake of his criticism, adding: “Trump is yet again insulting our brave Armed Forces just because we refuse to be dragged into his illegal war.”
Dame Emily Thornberry, a senior Labour MP, suggested it would be “safer to delay” the trip because of the Iran war, warning that the Royal family could be left feeling “embarrassed” because of the crisis.
However, Warren Stephens, America’s UK ambassador, said it would be a “very big mistake” to cancel the visit, insisting that it would be a “very meaningful trip” for the King.
The visit will be the King’s 20th to the US, but his first as monarch. In 2005, the King and Queen, then the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, went to the country for their first joint official tour after they married.
For the 200th anniversary of US independence, the late Queen and Prince Philip travelled to the States in a show of friendship, with Elizabeth II delivering a speech about George III, her ancestor, and his defeat at the hands of colonial rebels.
Elizabeth II made four state visits to the US – in 1957, 1976, 1991 and 2007.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.telegraph.co.uk ’
