No US President has ever attended the coronation of a British monarch. At first glance, this is hardly surprising. After all, the United States was founded as a sort of “counterpart” to the British monarchy.
His decision not to attend the coronation of Charles III this Saturday. to arrive, President Biden is still sending a clear signal. With a historic participation as the first US President, he could have given British-American relations the – at least symbolic – boost that London is so eagerly hoping for.
Great Britain and the USA have maintained a special relationship since the end of the Second World War. In their campaign for an exit from the EU, the Brexiteers focused primarily on strengthening this partnership. Away from the EU towards the USA. There should be a British-American free trade agreement. But we are far from that today.
Hardly any of the many opportunities promised by the Brexit organizers have materialized. On the contrary. Great Britain is currently being shaken by a severe socio-economic crisis, the end of which is not in sight.
A trade deal with the US could provide a major boost to the UK economy. So far, however, President Biden has shown no interest in starting negotiations.
And why should he. Because who needs whom here is obvious. A close relationship between the two countries matters far more to Britain than it does to the United States.
With his multi-day trip to Ireland in mid-April – four weeks before the coronation – the US President made no secret of his priorities. The progressive trend in Dublin is much closer to him politically than the trials and tribulations of the Tories in London.
Of course, it is above all Biden’s Irish roots on which his close connection to the country is based. However, he is by no means alone in the USA with these: around 36 million Americans state that they are of Irish descent – mostly with great pride. Biden’s travel decision is therefore also of domestic political relevance.
Biden leaves little doubt as to who the United States has a “special relationship” with under his presidency. And also on whose side of the EU-Brexit rift his heart beats.
