Plenty of people on both sides of the Atlantic were uneasy ahead of King Charles and Queen Camilla’s four-day visit to the White House this week.
The big questions were whether Trump would ignore royal protocol, and whether the visit would produce an awkward moment for the King and Queen.
Instead, the trip has been notably orderly so far. King Charles’ address to Congress drew twelve standing ovations, mixed light humour with pointed references, and left observers thinking the visit could pass without any major drama.
It’s been 35 years since a British monarch last spoke to both houses of Congress, when Queen Elizabeth II delivered her speech in 1991.
The timing is also significant, coming amid a low point in US–UK relations, with Trump frequently criticising UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer.
Charles appeared in high spirits at Tuesday night’s state dinner, comfortably leaning into jokes and looking relaxed as he spoke.
One line in particular has travelled fast around the world: a quip suggesting that without the UK, Americans might be speaking French.
King Charles said: “You recently commented, Mr President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German.
“Dare I say that if it wasn’t for us, you’d be speaking French?” Zing.
Not everyone took it as a light moment.
French President Emmanuel Macron quickly weighed in on X, making it clear he wasn’t offended by the idea.
He said he thought that would be ‘chic’ if the US were to speak French.
And while Americans may not be rushing to pick up French lessons this summer, guests at the banquet were at least being treated to French-inspired cuisine.
That would be chic! pic.twitter.com/gMnLF224jU
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) April 29, 2026
After all, if there’s one arena where France is happy to claim the advantage over both the US and the UK, it’s the kitchen.
The Embassy of France in the U.S also highlighted the menu, which looked suitably luxurious.
They tweeted: “Sole meunière, vanilla bean crémeux, chocolate gâteau, almond joconde, and crème fraîche…the attendees were speaking French, for sure.”
The King’s remark was a pointed reply to Trump’s comments from January 2026 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he claimed Europe would be speaking German and Japanese if the US hadn’t intervened in World War II.
He said: “After the war, which we won, we won it big, without us, right now, you’d all be speaking German and little Japanese perhaps.”
Trump’s jab at Europe arrived alongside renewed talk of taking over Greenland, at a time when US–European relations have been especially strained.
Those tensions haven’t disappeared, but the exchange has at least injected a bit of levity into an otherwise delicate geopolitical moment.