Queen Elizabeth’s former protection officer says US royal visit should have been cancelled

WorldPolitics
28 Apr 2026 • 11:29 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Queen Elizabeth’s former protection officer says US royal visit should have been cancelled

Queen Elizabeth II’s former protection officer has questioned whether King Charles's US state visit should have gone ahead in light of the Iran-US war.

Donald Trump officially welcomed His Majesty and Queen Camilla on Tuesday (28 April) with an unprecedented military ceremony on the lawns of the White House.

The royal couple has embarked on a four-day state visit to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Former Head of the Royal Protection Command Dai Davies told The Independent: "You are going into a country that's at war. As far as I know, I can't remember a member of the royal family visiting a country that is at war with another country, so that adds to the pressure."