Jonathan Freedland

They do go a bit weak-kneed at the sight of a monarch.

It's that notion of history.

Remember, American history is quite short.

It was quality stuff, coded but not that coded.

By royal standards, it was actually pretty direct.

This visit and the rave reviews he's getting, the ovations, the laughter at the White House will represent a big moment for him in his own life story.

Good to be with you.

Yeah, it was a chance for King Charles stand up.

I mean, it was his Washington debut of his comedy routine.

And it went down extremely well.

I mean, they were very well judged jokes.

You know, the speechwriters at the Palace, I've thought this for a long while, are really the best in the UK, I think, better than any politician has.

And that includes the gag writing.

It was quality stuff.

And it played on the idea that he is this historical figure.

And his audience will have thought of, you know, his great, great, I think he said five times, great grandfather, George...

the third and the character from Hamilton.

He was sort of playing that in a way, you know, with these references as if the 18th century had only just happened.

So playing into, leaning into the fact he is 77 and that he represents the old world and that the Americans who broke from Britain, they have a kind of nostalgia.

You can tickle their tummy with jokes about the royal past.