Is Donald Trump Going to King Charles III’s Coronation?

Former President Donald Trump has never been shy to voice his political opinions, especially where President Joe Biden is concerned. King Charles III’s coronation on May 6, 2023, is already controversial, but Trump has added his voice to the mix by suggesting Biden is “disrespectful” for not attending.

That said, is Donald Trump going to King Charles III’s coronation? Keep reading for everything we know about why a President (former or otherwise) might attend or not attend a U.K. royal’s coronation.

It is unknown if Donald Trump will attend King Charles III’s coronation on May 6, 2023.

He told conservative UK politician Nigel Farage on May 3 that he is looking forward to the coronation, saying, “I think it’s going to be a great day, I think they will do a great job and he [Charles] loves the country. I got to know him [Charles] quite well and he loves the country, really loves the country and he loved his mother.”

In the same interview, Trump disparaged Biden for not attending the coronation. He said, “I was surprised when I heard that he wasn’t coming. I think it’s very disrespectful for him not to be there.”

Later in the interview, Trump suggested there was a reason Biden wouldn’t attend the ceremony: “I think that it’s hard for him to do it physically…getting over here for him. But certainly he should be here as a representative of our country.”

Historically, no U.S. President has ever attended a U.K. royal coronation. Instead, they have sent representatives to participate in their stead. Per The New York Times, President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent four representatives to Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953. During his presidency, Franklin D. Roosevelt skipped King George VI’s coronation and sent an entire delegation led by General John J. Pershing, per Insider.

Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden did travel to the U.K. to attend Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022. Still, Jill Biden will lead a delegation of representatives from the United States for the coronation. The rest of the delegation has yet to be announced.