The official theme of this state visit was to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence. But what exactly is being celebrated on this 250th anniversary? It's the separation of the United States from Britain. This is certainly not a part of history that brings joy to the British. But Trump chose to give this letter as a gift. And at its core is King George III's own words. I will be the first to establish friendship with America. Trump was telling King Charles, "Don't forget what your ancestor once said to us Americans."
On April 27th, King Charles III of the United Kingdom made a state visit to the United States. This was the first official visit by a British monarch to the US in nearly 20 years. On the south lawn of the White House, Trump made a jaw-dropping announcement. He is a distant cousin of the British king, and the two share a common ancestor. What? Really? What's even more unexpected is that during the gift exchange, Trump gave the British king a photocopy of a letter from 241 years ago. What exactly was written in this letter? And why did Trump choose to solemnly present this old letter at the highest level diplomatic occasion between the US and the UK? Today, we're going to explain the story behind this all at once. It's a truly fascinating story, so you have to watch until the end. Only then will you understand just how significant this letter really is. Before we get into the story, let's first introduce a concept from international relations called the special relationship. The term special relationship was formally introduced by former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in a speech in the United States in 1946. It refers to the unique alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States characterized by shared intelligence, military alliances, and cultural similarities. Today, organizations like the Five Eyes Alliance and Orcus are all rooted in this special relationship. But how did the US and the UK come to have such a special relationship? You have to remember Britain and the United States were once adversaries on the battlefield. The first war between the two countries was the American War of Independence, which started at Lexington in 1775 and lasted until Yorktown in 1781. In the end, the British Army surrendered with about 8,000 British soldiers captured. Two years later in 1783, Britain recognized the independence of the United States. The second round was the War of 1812. How intense was this conflict? The British army fought all the way to Washington DC and set fire to both the White House and the Capitol. This time, King Charles III even joked about this bit of history during a White House dinner. What did he say? While discussing Trump's renovations to the east room of the White House, he remarked that the British had also once made a small attempt at real estate renovation on the White House. For the specific details, subscribe to Jen Guandian and check out my short videos. So, how did Britain and the United States go from being adversaries on the battlefield to becoming allies with a special relationship? Let's turn back the clock to 1785. That year, just two years after the end of the War of Independence, the US Congress decided to send its first minister to Britain since gaining independence. The chosen candidate was a 50-year-old lawyer named John Adams. Adams was from Massachusetts, a Harvard graduate, and a lawyer by profession. He was also one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He was also the main driving force behind the Declaration of Independence at the Continental Congress. Later he became the first vice president of the United States, the second president and was the father of John Quincy Adams the sixth president in American history. But at that time Adams was still just an ordinary diplomat. His appointment was to go to London and serve as the first US minister to Britain. This appointment was an extremely difficult matter for him. Why? Because the person he had to meet was the king of England. George III was the very king whom Adams himself had called a tyrant in the Declaration of Independence nine years earlier. The king who declared all the signers of the Declaration to be traitors and the king who led Britain in an 8-year war against America and was ultimately defeated. And in the eyes of this king, Adams was a traitor about to meet the very person he had called a tyrant. So tell me, isn't that difficult? Isn't that awkward? Adams himself wrote in his diary, "I tremble at the thought of going there. I worry that they will look at me with hostile eyes." The king didn't want to meet him at all. As early as 1783, King George III had written a letter to the British foreign secretary at the time stating that any official envoy sent from America would never be welcomed to him. So for both sides, this meeting in 1785 was an extremely painful affair. What could they do? He couldn't avoid going, so he just had to bite the bullet. Let's see how Adams managed to turn the impossible into something extraordinary. On June 1st, Adams was led into St. James's Palace to meet the king. For this meeting, he did three things. First, he bought a new formal suit. Second, he spent several days personally drafting a speech and then memorized it word for word without missing a single line. Third, he repeatedly practiced the etiquette for the audience in his mind. According to the rules of the British court at the time, foreign envoys meeting the king of England had to perform three bows. One upon entering the door, another in the middle of the room, and a third upon reaching the king. On the day of the audience, according to the report Adams later wrote to US Secretary of State John, the room was packed with people, ministers, bishops, nobles, and court officials. All eyes were on him. Adams said he was the center of everyone's attention. He followed the protocol, bowing three times from the entrance to the king and then began to recite his speech. Your majesty, the United States of America has appointed me as the minister planetary to your esteemed country. I feel more fortunate than any of my fellow Americans to have this honor, to be the first to stand before your majesty as a diplomatic envoy. If I can help my country earn your majesty's gracious favor and restore the full respect, trust and friendship between our two peoples, or to put it more aptly, to restore the friendship and harmony of former days, then I would consider myself the happiest person in the world. For although we are separated by an ocean and governed by different systems, but we share the same language, similar religions, and common ancestry. When Adams reached this point, he could hardly continue. He later wrote, "What I felt was far beyond what I could express." At that moment, the court was completely silent. Adam saw that the king listened to every word he said with dignity, but his emotions were clearly moved. Then King George III responded, "And this part is also fully documented in the archives." He said, "The circumstances of today's meeting are so special. Your words are so appropriate, and the emotions you expressed are so fitting. Therefore, I must say that not only do I gladly accept the goodwill of the American people, but I am also very pleased that America has chosen you as their representative by consensus. I want you to believe, and I also hope that America can understand that everything I did during that past conflict was out of my responsibility to my own people. It was my inescapable duty. I will be very frank with you. I was the last person to agree to American independence. But now that separation has become a fact and since it is already irreversible, then I will always say and I still want to say now that I will be the first to establish relations with America as an independent nation, a person of friendship. After the king finished this statement, the atmosphere in the entire room changed completely. The king then lightened the mood by making a joke since at that time America and France were allies. Adams had previously served as a diplomat in France. So the king teased him saying, "Some people say that among all Americans you are not the one who likes the French style the most. This is a trap. If Adams said he didn't like France, that would be betraying an ally. But if he said he liked France in such a setting, it would seem disrespectful to Britain." Adams was takenback for a moment. Then he said, "Your majesty, I must be honest. Except for my own country, I have no attachment to any other place." Upon hearing this, the king immediately replied, "An honest man should not have any other attachments." And so this awkward meeting unexpectedly ended on a relaxed note. Following protocol, Adams withdrew, walking backward out of the room and bowing three more times. The entire process lasted only a little over 10 minutes. Yet, it was these 10 minutes that shifted Britain and America from battlefield adversaries onto the path of a special alliance that would last for the next 241 years. Why did this conversation have such a powerful impact? What are your thoughts and feelings about it? Friends, feel free to join me in the comments section to discuss. Adams did not talk about treaties, reparations, or territory. Instead, he expressed his wishes with utmost humility and sincerity. What he discussed was the relationship between the British and American peoples before the war beyond the confines of any treaty. It was something deeper than national borders. They spoke the same language, shared the same beliefs, and carried the same distant bloodline. This instantly warmed King George III's heart. The king understood and responded with the utmost wisdom, saying he was willing to be the first to establish friendship with them. Let the factors of language, religion, and bloodline play their natural and full roles. From this moment on, a new chapter began in the relationship between Britain and America. Afterwards, Adam spent nearly three years on official business in London, during which he established a harmonious personal relationship with the king. The king even allowed him free access to the royal library. As for the familial connection between Trump and King Charles III, that story is even more remarkable. Speaking of the familiar connection between Trump and King Charles III, it truly shocked the world. But this isn't just hearsay or a baseless rumor. There are family genealogies that can stand up to scrutiny. However, I need to keep things as simple as possible, otherwise it can get confusing very quickly. The story begins in 16th century Scotland where there was a nobleman named John Stewart, the third Earl of Lennox. This man himself was a distant relative of the Scottish royal family. His great-grandfather was James II, King of Scotland. Now, this Earl of Lennox had a son and a daughter. On his son's side, after several generations, there emerged a very famous figure, Mary, Queen of Scots. Her husband and she had a son who would later become James I, the monarch who ruled both England and Scotland. From James I the lineage continued for more than 10 generations leading up to today's Charles III. In other words, today's King Charles III of the United Kingdom is a descendant of the son of the Earl of Lennox we just mentioned. So what about the daughter's line? The Earl's daughter was named Helen Stewart and she married another Scottish nobleman. He was from the Southerntherland family, the 11th Earl. This line was later passed down to the Mai family among whom there was a man named Donald Mai. He became a supporter of King Richard the Fash of England and was later granted the title Lord Ray. As the Mai family line continued, it was eventually passed down to the Mloud family. At this point, those of you who are familiar with this might have already realized what kind of family is the Mloud family. This is the family of Trump's mother. Trump's mother was named Mary Anne Mloud and she was born on the aisle of Lewis at the northernmost tip of Scotland. In 1930 she immigrated by ship to New York, USA and then married a real estate businessman in New York. His name was Fred Trump and the son they had is the current president of the United States, Donald Trump. So in Trump's lineage, it goes from the Earl of Lennox to his daughter Helen and then down through 15 generations to Trump. On the other side, King Charles III's lineage goes from the Earl of Lennox to his son Matthew and then also down 15 generations to Charles III. So, strictly speaking, Trump and Charles III are 15th generation cousins of the same generation. You could think of it as well distant relatives of the same generation. So, Trump is actually the elder royal brother of King Charles III of England. And that's not all. If you trace Trump's branch further back, it's actually connected to the ancestors of the English royal family. In other words, Trump's bloodline can be traced back to King George III, the very king whom Adams once advised. Isn't it fascinating how the world works? 250 years later, a distant descendant of this royal line became president of the United States. And Adams, who once represented the newly formed United States and used a few words to resolve the enmity between the two countries when meeting George III, also became president of the United States. The relationship between Britain and the United States truly does share the same roots, but that's not the end of the story. Our story isn't over yet. There's still the exchange of gifts between Trump and the British king and even more astonishing tales to come. As for the gift Trump gave to King Charles III, it was the official report that Adams wrote to John J, who was in charge of American foreign affairs at the time on June 2nd, 1785, the day after he met with the British king. This letter contains a complete record of the conversation between Adams and King George III. The original of this letter is now preserved in the US National Archives. According to the official statements released by the White House in Buckingham Palace, this time Trump gave King Charles III a custommade replica of this letter. This gift was truly beautifully chosen. First of all, Trump echoed history. The British king whom Adams met back then was George III. And Charles III is a direct descendant of George III. According to the British royal lineage, Charles III is the great great great grandson of George III. 241 years ago, Adam stood before George III and said that we share the same language, similar religion, and common ancestry. 241 years later, this letter that recorded that moment has miraculously returned to the hands of George III's descendant. Furthermore, through this gift, Trump was sending a message. The official theme of this state visit was to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence. But what exactly is being celebrated on this 250th anniversary? It's the separation of the United States from Britain. This is certainly not a part of history that brings joy to the British. But Trump chose to give this letter as a gift. And at its core is King George III's own words. I will be the first to establish friendship with America. Trump was telling King Charles, "Don't forget what your ancestor once said to us Americans." And the gift that Charles III gave to Trump was also highly significant with hidden meaning behind it. The first item was a replica of the 1879 design plans for the Resolute Desk. To truly understand the weight of this gift, you first need to know the origin of the Resolute Desk. In the 19th century, the British Royal Navy had a wooden hold sailing ship specially refitted for Arctic exploration called the HMS Resolute. In 1852, the HMS Resolute was dispatched by the British Navy on a mission to search for a British expedition team that had gone missing in the Arctic a few years earlier. That expedition had set out to find the legendary Northwest Passage. But the entire team vanished on the Arctic ice and not a single person returned alive. After the Resolute set out, it sailed north and entered the Canadian Arctic archipelago. But unfortunately, it became trapped in the ice. In May of 1854, the British crew on board were forced to abandon ship and trek across the ice on foot, eventually being rescued by another British vessel. As for the Resolute, it was left behind in the Arctic, and everyone assumed it had been lost to the sea. But it didn't sink. After the ice melted, the Resolute drifted with the sea for nearly 1,900 km. By September 1855, an American whailing ship spotted a vessel drifting in the distant ice fields. When they approached and boarded, they found not a single person on board, but everything in the cabin was still there. The table was neatly set. Even a box of matches was still usable. The captain quickly recognized the ship. It was the HMS Resolute of the British Navy. He made a decision to sail the ship back to America. He sailed for 64 days, facing constant storms along the way, and at one point was blown as far as near Bermuda. On Christmas Eve of 1855, the captain finally brought the Resolute back to the port of New London, Connecticut. What happened next became a landmark event in the history of Anglo-American friendship. According to maritime law, the captain could have sold the Resolute as salvage and made a fortune for himself. However, at the time, a US congressman and a New York businessman named Henry Grenell proposed to Congress that the ship be returned to Britain as a gift free of charge. So, the US Congress passed an appropriation bill, spending $40,000, which was a huge sum at the time, to purchase the Resolute, refurbish it, assign US Navy officers to it, and then sail it across the Atlantic back to Britain. On December 17th, 1856, the Resolute arrived in Britain, where Queen Victoria herself boarded the ship to receive this gift from the United States. 23 years later, after the Resolute was decommissioned, Queen Victoria decided to use the ship's timbers and mahogany to craft several desks as a gesture of gratitude for the friendship shown by the United States years earlier. The largest of these desks weighed 590 kg. In 1880, Queen Victoria presented it to the then US President Rutherford B. Hayes. This desk is the very one that sits in the Oval Office today as the president's desk. So, the desk itself is a story that spans the Atlantic Ocean. A British ship was trapped in the Arctic, discovered and repaired by Americans, returned to Britain, and finally sent back to the United States by the Queen of England in the form of a desk. The desk that Charles III gave to Trump is a replica of the original 1879 design drawing of this desk with the original preserved in the National Maritime Museum in London. Charles III's second gift was an item from a submarine. During World War II, the British Royal Navy launched a T-class submarine, which had a name that people today would find unbelievable. It was called the Trump. That year, President Trump hadn't even been born yet. After the Trump submarine was decommissioned, it was dismantled in Wales in 1971. This time, what Charles III gave to Trump was the original brass ship's bell taken from the command tower of that very submarine with Trump 1944 engraved on the clock face. At the state banquet, when Charles III personally handed this bell to Trump, he said, "Mr. President, this is the ship's bell from your brave namesake vessel. Today, I present it to you as a personal gift. May it bear witness to the shared history and bright future of our two countries." Then he paused for a moment and added a joke. In the future, if you want to contact us, just ring this bell. In English, you know, ring is a pun. It means both to ring a bell and to give me a call. This is the true meaning behind this exchange of gifts. Friends, if you've watched up to this point, had a knowing smile, and learned some interesting historical stories, please be sure to give me a like. All right, that's all for today. If you enjoy this kind of program, please remember to leave a comment and let me know. Every interaction from you, whether it's a like, a comment, a share, or a subscription, can help my videos. It triggers YouTube's recommendation algorithm and helps my voice reach even further. So, please do give me lots of encouragement. Thank you all so much. All right. Thank you for watching. If you enjoy my program, don't forget to subscribe. We'll meet again in the next episode of Debate Points. Don't miss it. See you then. Bye-bye.
