Ukraine’s President Zelensky is on a whirlwind tour through European countries, trying to convince European allies to continue to fund Ukraine’s defense of its country from Russian invaders. Zelensky was in Paris, meeting President Macron, and on Wednesday, Zelensky was in London to meet with Prime Minister Sunak and King Charles. Charles invited Zelensky to one of the diplomatic rooms in Buckingham Palace. The king wore his normal Savile Row suit, while President Zelensky wore his wartime uniform: an olive-green military-style sweatshirt and boots. The NYT had a piece about the significance of the attire, and the significance of Zelensky forgoing suits and ties during his whirlwind tour of Élysée Palace, 10 Downing and Buckingham Palace. Zelensky wants fighter jets. He should get them.
Meanwhile, I hope King Charles told President Zelensky that he also has a struggle: Charles wrestled with whether or not to go on his annual ski trip to Klosters. In the end, Charles decided to forgo it.
King Charles has cancelled an annual lavish ski trip with friends so that he will be healthy for his coronation. The King has taken a skiing trip to Klosters in Switzerland almost every February or March for 45 years but wants to make sure he’s in top shape for the ceremony in May, a source said.
The monarch will travel abroad before he is crowned, on official visits to France and Germany in March, but won’t be hitting the slopes. Aides are understood to have been keen for the 74-year-old King’s first trip abroad since the death of Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September to be for an official visit.
A source told The Sun that the monarch has also been conscious of the current cost-of-living crisis while making the decision to cancel the traditional trip. “There are many factors at play, not least it’s a bad look to go skiing during the cost-of-living crisis and the King is not a very ostentatious person. Also it would be disastrous to suffer a skiing accident,’ the source said.
‘All focus’ is said to be on the upcoming coronation.
It’s still sort of bizarre that Charles hasn’t left the UK since he became king. That’s what he was known for as Prince of Wales – his travels, and how well-traveled he was. I think his people must have realized that it looked really weird for Charles to look like he was some kind of hostage in his own country before the Chubbly, which is why the trip to France and Germany was organized for next month. Anyway, pity the king, he couldn’t go on a ski holiday because it would look bad to the poors! And because he didn’t want to throw his back out before his Clowning.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- Britain’s King Charles III tours the headquarters of cereal manufacturer Kellogg’s marking its 100th anniversary in Manchester, north west England, on January 20, 2023. – Kellogg’s is the largest cereal factory in Europe and biggest Corn Flake factory in the world. The manufacturer has been a holder of the Royal Warrant since the reign of King George VI and cereal from the business was historically delivered to Buckingham Palace in a small van called Genevieve.,Image: 750739013, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: PAUL ELLIS / Avalon
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- Britain’s King Charles III laughs during a visit to the headquarters of cereal manufacturer Kellogg’s in Manchester, north west England, on January 20, 2023. – Kellogg’s is the largest cereal factory in Europe and biggest Corn Flake factory in the world. The manufacturer has been a holder of the Royal Warrant since the reign of King George VI and cereal from the business was historically delivered to Buckingham Palace in a small van called Genevieve.,Image: 750742006, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: PAUL ELLIS / Avalon
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- King Charles III and the Queen Consort during a visit to Brick Lane in east London, to meet with charities and businesses in the heart of the British Bangladeshi community, and individuals who were actively involved in the anti-racism movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Featuring: King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort Where: London, England, United Kingdom When: 08 Feb 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
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- King Charles III holds an audience with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Buckingham Palace, London, during his first visit to the UK since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Featuring: King Charles III, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Where: London, England, United Kingdom When: 08 Feb 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
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- King Charles III holds an audience with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Buckingham Palace, London, during his first visit to the UK since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Featuring: King Charles III, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Where: London, England, United Kingdom When: 08 Feb 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
I hope Zelensky knows that the British royal family is considered “russia-friendly” and that Charles accepts money from terrorists..
But the main thing is that he gets the support that Ukraine needs!! 🙏
I didn’t know he still did his annual ski trip. The invisible contract really worked out for Charles. There was outrage when Harry and Meghan went to Nice after Archie was born.
“The king is not a very ostentatious person”….. LMFAO!!
Can we create a list? I’ll start:
New thrones and a new golden coach for the Jubbly
Oops, that should be the Chubbly… losing track of the various ostentatious displays of wealth.
travels with own toilet seat
brings own bed and furniture on house visits
has a private toothpaste dispenser servant (because dispensing toothpaste is hard work y’all)
Savile Row suits.
Real talk Lisa, if I could afford to travel with my own toilet seat, I would.
Nothing says ostentatious better than a new golden carriage and two new thrones! But sure, Charles is economizing by not providing clothing and food for his daughter in law and two tiny grandchildren.
good luck getting any funding from him, Zelensky.
I HOWLED at that line. He’s so “not an ostentatious person” that he’ll skip his lavish ski vacation this ONE year so he can be rested for his big “look at me” ceremony in May in his new gold carriage.
Like, what on earth.
Yeah … he’s “not an ostentatious person” in exactly the same way that the Windsors are “very much not a racist family.”
In other breaking news: the sky is blue, water is wet and it’s Opposite Day on Salty Isle yet again.
MOBIMUM, yeah, he is Sooo not ostentatious that he greets a man, who has spent the last year dodging bombs,bullets and assassins, watched his country being invaded and blown up in A SAVILLE ROW SUIT, IN A ROOM FULL OF GOLD FRAMED PAINTINGS and luxury paintings and offers him a cup of tea 🤣🤣🤣🤣hey Charlie, give him those suitcases of Russian money that was handed to you (that you knew nothing about it was all an aids fault 🤣🤣🤣)
All I can think when I look at these two is how different their lives are, their place in life in this moment is vast. Who cares about the king, long live Zelensky!
I had this thought too, along with the hope that Charles bowed to Zelensky rather than the other way around (not holding my breath).
Zelensky is fighting for everything we hold dear. Why is he wasting time with a dilettante like Charles?
Because it keeps Ukraine in the headlines. Pretty simple math on that one.
We’re talking about Zelensky/Ukraine now because he meets Charles.
Can’t remember seeing that many other articles about Ukraine on this website about Zelensky/Ukraine when not connected to the BRF. This is not criticism, but it is how it is.
Also, the BRF still has lots of people looking up to them, whether we like it or not. Charles meeting with Zelensky, makes them more likely to support Ukraine (or at least not fall for the Russian propaganda rabbit hole)
Most likely the government stepped in and told him the optics of going skiing right now is bad and to cancel. And I’m positive the government set up that little jaunt to the continent for next month. From here on out King Charles will only go when the government allows him to.
This is a political choice though (even if it’s an obvious side) so I don’t understand why it was a) too political for Charles to go to COP, b) they can’t offer up funds to support their citizens in acost of living crisis, or even c) pay for Sure start centres out of the duchy of Cornwall etc claiming it’s all too political and they have to be impartial.
As POW Charles legit compared putin to nazis! And it’s overly political for his golden child to donate to a food bank.
(I get that as Ukraine is a British ally maybe the visit isn’t seen as that political to the gov, but his Putin comment was in a time where companies etc all seeking Russian investment and U.K. wanted a good relationship so…)
Hasn’t Zelenskyy been through enough?
I wonder what he was thinking as he met the leader of a family that pins fake medals to its military costumes and routinely steals valor.
I just hope Zelenskyy gets what he wants out of the meeting. He’s a true hero.
He’s gonna do whatever he’s gotta do to save Ukraine.
Yep. He’s the opposite of Charles — Zelenskyy is self-sacrificing and courageous.
It makes sense to me actually for Charles not to travel too much before the Coronation? The UK is going through a cost of living crisis so to have Charles to be going on formal tours abroad would not be a good look. And who knows, maybe Charles has health issues we don’t know about and he doesn’t want to overexert himself before the Coronation. Elizabeth was 25 or around there when she was crowned Queen, she was young and able to withstand the physical toll with that heavy crown on her head (I just read somewhere her service lasted 3 hours and the procession to the Coronation was 2 hours! omg) and to get through the day. Charles is not in his twenties and while I know his coronation has been “pared down” (whatever that means) and I’m assuming not as grueling as his mother’s, it’s still going to be a very long day for an old dude.
Every time I see Zelensky, I’m just amazed at how long this war with Russia has dragged. He probably will forgo suits as long as the war lasts which makes sense to me. Who cares about suits when the lives of your people are at stake every day? I really hope this thing doesn’t drag on for years… we are almost at the one year anniversary of the invasion which is bonkers to me.
AmelieOriginal, the problem Russia has are available troops. They conscript young men into the military, give them very little training and then send them to the front lines to get cut down in order to protect the trained, experienced troops. How long can they continue to do that before the public rises up. I wonder how long they can continue until they start to run out of young men and start at the next older men?
Slava Ukraini.
Ukraine should be welcomed into NATO. No, it would not start World War 3 — it would get Putin running away with his tail between his legs. Appeasement does not work. This is something I would think Britain in particular should have learned, but well. I’m pretty sure right-wing politics are being partially funded by Putin worldwide, so here we are.