London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

EU's von der Leyen to meet Britain's King Charles, drawing criticism

EU's von der Leyen to meet Britain's King Charles, drawing criticism

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will meet King Charles at Windsor Castle during her visit to Britain on Monday to finalise talks with the British government on a new deal on post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland.
Von der Leyen is to hold talks with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, after which they are expected to announce new trading terms to resolve issues over the British province. The commission confirmed she would also meet Charles.

Some politicians raised concerns that the monarch, who constitutionally is not supposed to be involved in political matters, was being pulled into the Brexit debate by the government, which could be creating an impression he was endorsing a deal by agreeing to meet the European Commission president.

"The king is pleased to meet any world leader if they are visiting Britain and it is the government’s advice that he should do so," a palace spokesperson said.

A palace source said the meeting between Charles and von der Leyen followed government advice that her visit would provide an opportunity to discuss a broad range of issues including Ukraine and climate change.

Sunak's spokesman said it was not unusual for the government to provide the monarch with advice.

"It is a matter for the palace to decide, and ultimately for the king to decide, if he wants to meet individuals," the spokesman said. "His majesty has met with a number of foreign leaders recently, this is no different."

A Commission spokesperson said the Sunak meeting would discuss the Northern Ireland protocol, while discussions with the king were "not part of this process".

The success of any deal to sort out tensions caused by the 2020 post-Brexit arrangements governing the province could hinge on whether it convinces the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to end its boycott of Northern Ireland's power-sharing arrangements.

However, the decision to arrange a meeting with Charles was not popular with some in the DUP, with former leader Arlene Foster calling it "crass" and saying it would not go down well in Northern Ireland.

"I cannot quite believe that No10 would ask HM the King to become involved in the finalising of a deal as controversial as this one," she said on Twitter.

"We must remember this is not the King’s decision but the Government who it appears are tone deaf."

Opposition Labour lawmaker Chris Bryant said it was a "terrible mistake".

"We should never bring the monarchy into political disputes," he said on Twitter.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
×