The United States ambassador to the United Kingdom has warned that cancelling the King’s planned state visit to the United States would be a 'very big mistake'. Calls have been made to scrap or delay the trip because of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, but the ambassador said he believes the visit will go ahead and will be meaningful. The trip has not yet been officially confirmed, although the King and Queen are expected to travel to Washington and New York in April to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence.

The ambassador said the Speaker of the House of Representatives has offered the King the opportunity to address both Houses of Congress. President Donald Trump has also said he is looking forward to the visit. Despite recent tensions, including criticism of the British Prime Minister by the president, the ambassador struck an optimistic tone about the strength of ties between the two countries.

He stressed that intelligence and military cooperation between the United States and the United Kingdom remain strong, even though Britain has not taken direct military action in the Middle East beyond defensive support. He also acknowledged concerns about the impact of the conflict on global markets.

The ambassador criticised high energy costs in Britain and urged greater use of domestic fossil fuel reserves, arguing that economic growth requires expanding energy production. He added that trade between the two countries has not increased as much as hoped in recent years and described tariffs on Scotch whisky as a significant point of contention.