One of many world’s most eligible bachelors on the time, King Charles’s go to to the US in 1970 got here with an ulterior motive.
King Charles visited the US in July 1970 when Richard Nixon was president (Picture: Getty)
King Charles has met 9 US presidents, with one making an attempt to set the then Prince of Wales up together with his daughter. Charles was 21 when he visited Washington DC in July 1970 for his first official go to.
He had been invited by the daughters of then US president Richard Nixon, Julie Nixon Eisenhower and Tricia Nixon Cox. Accompanied by Princess Anne, Charles attended a barbecue at Camp David, met two Apollo astronauts, went for a ship journey to George Washington’s Mount Vernon property and dined on the White Home.
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The then Prince Charles attends a baseball recreation with Tricia Nixon in Washington DC (Picture: Getty)
An eligible bachelor on the time, Charles later informed CNN the journey was at a time when there have been makes an attempt to marry him off to Tricia Nixon.
In an interview in 2021, Charles informed the US broadcaster: “That was fairly amusing, I need to say. That was the time they have been making an attempt to marry me off to Tricia Nixon.”
For her half, Tricia Nixon had stated Charles was “a superb dancer”. However a extra intimate relationship didn’t develop, with some arguing there was no ulterior motive for the journey.
Frank Gannon, an aide to the president on the time, informed the Telegraph Nixon was not hoping for a romance between Charles and Tricia.
Mr Gannon stated Tricia was secretly engaged to her eventual husband, Ed Cox, for over a 12 months by July 1970.
Richard Nixon believed a go to by Charles would strengthen ties between the US and UK (Picture: Getty)
President Nixon had backed Charles’s go to to the US as a public relations enhance, in keeping with a memo despatched to his nationwide safety advisor, Henry Kissinger, in January 1970.
Charles is described as a “actual gem” within the memo, which learn: “I believe this might do an infinite quantity of fine for US-British relations.”
The longer term king’s journey got here because the Vietnam Battle was raging and relations with the UK have been beneath pressure as Britain had declined to hitch the battle.
Regardless of the political variations between the US and UK on the time, the journey seemed to be a convincing success.
In a thanks word, Charles wrote to Nixon: “The kindness proven to us on the White Home was virtually overwhelming and for that we’re immensely grateful.
King Charles’s state go to comes at a time when UK-US relations are at a low ebb (Picture: Getty)
“Each my sister and I take again to Britain probably the most heart-warming proof of what’s referred to as the particular relationship between our two nations and of the good hospitality proven to us by you and your loved ones.”
Biographer Sally Bedell Smith wrote that Charles joked with President George W Bush after which First Girl Laura Bush that they should not attempt to “repair up” their twin daughters with Prince William and Prince Harry in the best way Nixon had tried to set him up with Tricia.
Charles’s state go to to the US earlier this week got here at a time when relations between the US and UK are at a low ebb amongst accusations Britain has not offered sufficient assist for US President Donald Trump’s conflict with Iran.
On day two of King Charles and Queen Camilla’s state go to, the monarch used a speech to Congress to say the story of the UK and US because the United State gained independence was “one of many best alliances in human historical past” the place the 2 nations discover methods to “come collectively”.
Charles additionally stated defending widespread beliefs was “essential for liberty and equality”, as was the rule of regulation, which lies on the coronary heart of each nations’ democratic traditions and shared financial prosperity.
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