Why US presidents skip royal coronations

America and the UK have lengthy loved what Winston Churchill dubbed a “particular relationship” – but no US president has ever attended a royal coronation. Does this custom level to an underlying antagonism between the 2 nations – or one thing extra mundane?

The Coronation of King Charles can be marked by centuries of pageantry and custom. The King will swear his oath in Westminster Abbey in entrance of 1000’s of his topics and heads of state.

However there can be one obtrusive absence among the many throng of dignitaries: US President Joe Biden.

He was invited, the White Home informed the BBC. But in a phone call with the King, the president mentioned he would ship his spouse, First Girl Jill Biden, and a diplomatic envoy, as a substitute. The White Home gave no cause for Mr Biden’s absence, however mentioned the President had “conveyed his need to satisfy with the King in the UK at a future date”.

The no-show has despatched ripples throughout the pond.

Conservative MP Bob Seely informed the Telegraph that Mr Biden appears “fairly remiss” to skip the “once-in-a-lifetime occasion”.

Russel Meyers, affiliate editor of the Day by day Mail, additionally informed Sky Information that the president’s absence was on account of his being “staunchly pleased with his Irish roots, his Irish American roots”.

“I did not assume it was an actual risk that he would come,” Mr Myers said.

However historians say the reason being far much less political, and that it is really a centuries-long custom for American presidents to overlook the coronation.

“I actually do not view it as a snub on President Biden’s half,” mentioned Laura Beers, a professor of historical past at American College, who specialises in trendy Britain.

“It’s a non-story when it comes to the concept Biden is anti-British,” she mentioned. “He is not going as a result of no American president has ever gone to a coronation, so why begin within the twenty first century.”

Earlier than the reign of Queen Victoria, Ms Beers famous that the US-UK relationship was largely adversarial, following the American Revolution and the Struggle of 1812.

Queen Victoria’s accession to the throne ushered in “Victoria Fever” and a brand new period of American fascination with the British monarchy, however even then President Martin Van Buren didn’t attend the ceremony.

“It was not sensible for an American president to come back, and I believe it simply grew to become custom after that,” Ms Beers mentioned.

Troy Bickham, a fellow with the Royal Historic Society and a historian, mentioned travelling abroad wasn’t sensible earlier than transatlantic air journey started in 1939, three years after the coronation of King George VI.

The Second World Struggle marked a turning level within the diplomatic relationship between the USA and the UK, in response to historians.

All through the conflict, King George VI and his daughter, then-Princess Elizabeth, developed a relationship with Dwight D Eisenhower, who served in London because the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces and supervised “Operation Overlord,” the D-Day invasion of Normandy.

Mr Eisenhower was elected thirty fourth President of the USA simply months after King George VI died and Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne.

However regardless of his shut ties to the UK, Mr Eisenhower selected to maintain to custom and ship an envoy to the coronation as a substitute.  

Historian Sam Edwards famous that the US was embroiled within the Korean Struggle on the time, and President Eisenhower would even have been wanted in Washington.

President Eisenhower’s absence on the coronation did not hinder his relationship with the UK or the royal household. In October 1957, the US welcomed Queen Elizabeth II for her first official state go to as monarch. Two years later, the Queen hosted President Eisenhower and his household for a much less formal go to at her royal property in Balmoral.

As Britain’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II dominated by 14 US presidencies, and met all however one president throughout their tenure in workplace. Three sitting US presidents have made official state visits to the UK, whereas the Queen made 4 state visits to the US throughout her reign.

Whereas he seems to have chosen to not break with custom by sending an envoy in his stead to the coronation, President Biden has already accepted an invite from King Charles for a state go to. A date has not been set.

Regardless of who attends the coronation, Mr Edwards mentioned King Charles presides over a renewed dedication to the diplomatic relationship between the 2 international locations.

Attending the coronation, he mentioned, “is however one piece of the up to date transatlantic relationship puzzle”.