King ‘determined’ to put his unique diplomatic role to use after Zelensky meeting

The King is determined to put his unique diplomatic role to use, a royal source has said after his meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky.

The King has been hailed for offering a show of solidarity to Mr Zelensky by warmly welcoming him on Sunday afternoon after the president’s dramatic Oval Office clash with Donald Trump.

He then met Justin Trudeau, the outgoing Canadian prime minister, on Monday amid tensions between the US and Canada over tariffs.

The source said the King is “very conscious” of his global responsibility.

Diplomatic efforts on Ukraine have intensified as Sir Keir Starmer warned Europe’s leaders they stand at a “crossroads in history” and urged them to join his “coalition of the willing”.

A royal source said: “It has been six days of royal diplomacy at its most delicate, deliberate and nuanced.

“His Majesty is very conscious of his responsibility globally, regionally and nationally – and is passionately engaged in all the detail.”

The source added: “As a global statesman and a head of state for both the UK and Canada, the King’s role is highly significant, and His Majesty is determined to play his part, within appropriate parameters.

“His role by necessity and constitutional obligation is to offer symbolic gestures, rather than express comment.”

Although the King must remain politically neutral, he is able to advise and warn his government ministers when necessary.

The source described the King’s audiences with Mr Zelensky and Mr Trudeau as being “routine but highly significant, given the global context”.

Details of what is discussed at private audiences are not shared by Buckingham Palace, but it is understood that the challenges Canada faces with its nearest neighbour the US were high on the agenda, as was support for Ukraine.

The meetings required “high-level engagement and high-level sensitivity”, the source said.

The King, who has invited Mr Trump to pay an unprecedented second state visit to the UK, is increasingly being seen as a unifying figure despite the turmoil on the world’s political stage, through the Royal family’s so-called “soft power” diplomacy.

Mr Trump has repeatedly threatened to make Canada the 51st state of America, claiming that without a massive subsidy from the US it “ceases to exist as a viable country”.

Mr Trudeau, who flew to London to join the emergency defence summit of European leaders at the weekend, had said he would raise his concerns on the matter with the monarch.

The US president has also vowed to impose tariffs on imported goods from Canada as soon as Tuesday amid his concerns over border crossings.

The King was planning to carry out an overseas tour to Canada last year, but this was postponed due to his cancer diagnosis.

There are hopes the visit could happen in 2026, after the Canadian elections this year, with the King said to be “wholly committed to and enthusiastic about” the prospect of returning for the first time as the country’s monarch.

Visiting Canada remains one of his “key international priorities”, the source said.

The King sent a message to the people of Canada in February to mark the 60th anniversary of the Canadian flag, saying it was a symbol of a “proud, resilient and compassionate” country.

He gave a warm welcome to Mr Trudeau as he greeted him on Monday morning, giving a hearty laugh as the Canadian leader gestured towards him and shook the monarch’s hand.

Jason Kenney, the former Alberta premier, said that “for Canadians disappointed that King Charles has not commented” on Mr Trump’s threats, he can only act on the advice of Canada’s prime minister.

“The Government of Canada should ask the Head of State to underscore Canadian sovereignty,” Mr Kenney posted on X.