King Charles III recently held a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at Windsor Castle. The meeting was arranged on the advice of the British government, and it was held shortly after the unveiling of a new Northern Ireland Brexit deal.
The meeting has sparked warnings against involving the monarch in a contentious political dispute. Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, a Brexiteer and former cabinet minister, said it was “constitutionally unwise to involve the King in a matter of immediate political controversy”. Sammy Wilson, chief whip of the Democratic Unionist Party, said the meeting would risk “dragging the King into a hugely controversial political issue”.
However, Number 10 said it was “fundamentally” a decision for the King. The prime minister’s official spokesman likened the meeting with Ms von der Leyen to the King’s other recent meetings with visiting international dignitaries such as Polish President Andrzej Duda or Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Buckingham Palace sources emphasised that this was a regular meeting between the King and a visiting international leader and would build on other previous meetings between the King and Ms von der Leyen.
The EU sought to distance the Windsor meeting from political negotiations, saying the meeting between the King and the European Commission president was “separate” and “not part” of the talks over the Northern Ireland protocol. Ms von der Leyen said it had been an honour and a pleasure to meet the King and they discussed “the joint challenges the EU and UK face as historic partners and our joint duties: Unwavering support for Ukraine and fighting global climate change”.
The meeting between King Charles III and Ursula von der Leyen at Windsor Castle has sparked debate over the involvement of the monarch in political disputes. While some have warned against it, Number 10 said it was ultimately a decision for the King. The EU sought to distance the meeting from political negotiations, saying it was separate from talks over the Northern Ireland protocol. Ms von der Leyen said they discussed joint challenges between the EU and UK, as well as support for Ukraine and climate change.