Lauren Frayer

A handful of protesters gathered at the gates of Buckingham Palace wearing masks of King Charles and President Trump.

Polls show most Brits oppose the king's U.S.

visit, including protester Tom Walker.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer tried not to cross Trump and got a favorable U.S.

trade deal last year.

But Starmer's opposition to the U.S.

and Israeli war on Iran has angered the president, who has since insulted the prime minister personally.

Trump has spoken of his love of the royals, though, and has said the king's visit might help mend relations.

Lauren Freyer, NPR News, London.

How worried were you that there were going to be injuries?

Well, polls show most Brits do not support this trip.

I've just come this morning from Buckingham Palace where there was a small protest outside the palace gates.

People in King Charles and Donald Trump masks and they held up a giant cardboard fake missile with the words complicit written on it.

I spoke to one of the protesters, Tom Walker, from a group called the Stop Trump Coalition.

They were behind that baby Trump blimp.

that flew over London during a Trump visit in his first presidential term.

Walker says he doesn't want the king's visit to be seen as a show of support for Trump and his war in Iran.

Some British politicians called for the royals to cancel this trip, but UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer wanted it to go ahead, even after President Trump actually insulted him personally.

He's repeatedly said Starmer is, quote, no Winston Churchill, a reference to that World War II era leader who cooperated so closely with the United States.

Starmer denied the U.S.