King Charles and Donald Trump Swap Jokes at Glittering State Banquet

Laughter echoed through the grand hall at last night’s state banquet as both King Charles and Donald Trump delivered lighthearted lines that had guests smiling over their glasses of champagne.

Charles set the tone early with a playful nod to Trump’s well-known love of golf. Addressing the 160 guests, the King said: “Mr President, you have spoken of your pride in your British roots. In fact, not only have you set foot on British soil twice in the last two months alone, but I understand that British soil makes for rather splendid golf courses!” The remark drew a laugh from Trump, but Charles wasn’t finished.

The King then dipped into his past, recalling how he was once nearly linked romantically with the Nixon family. He joked about his meetings with Richard Nixon’s daughter, Tricia, when he was a young prince at 21.

“Throughout my life, from my very first visit to the United States in 1970 and over 20 visits since that time, I have cherished the close ties between the British and American peoples”.

“In fact, had the media succeeded in the 1970s in their own attempt at deepening the special relationship, I myself might have been married off within the Nixon family.” The anecdote had the room chuckling and added a personal touch to the King’s speech, reported Wales Online.

When Trump’s turn came, he was keen to make his mark with his own brand of humour. He began by acknowledging the weight of being invited back for a second state visit, calling it a privilege.

“It is a privilege to be the first American president welcomed here. And if you think about it, a lot of presidents and this was this was the second state visit and that is the first. Maybe that is going to be the last time—I hope it is, actually.” The slightly muddled remark still drew attention for its self-deprecating tone.

The US president then veered off into a quirky observation about the line-up of guests. After shaking hands with around 150 people, he teased about the “bad names” of some of the attendees.

“I just stood in line and shook about 150 hands, and the King knew every single person and every single company. Some of them had bad names like ‘XYZ-Q3’ and he knew every one of them, or at least I think he did, because nobody was complaining. I was very impressed with that.”

The evening, filled with glittering gowns, polished speeches and more than a few unexpected jokes, highlighted the mix of ceremony and humour that often defines royal occasions. Both leaders managed to show a lighter side in front of their distinguished audience, proving that even amid grand state formality, there’s always room for a laugh.