King Charles has reportedly shown reluctance to host former President Donald Trump during an upcoming state visit, primarily due to Trump's contentious interaction with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February 2025. This interaction, which devolved into a public confrontation, raised concerns that a royal snub could lead to a significant diplomatic crisis between the U.K. and the U.S. U.K. officials have been scrambling to address the king's concerns, as revealed by internal emails and text messages from March 2025. These communications show that the then-U.K. ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, was involved in efforts to reassure the monarchy about the visit. The correspondence occurred shortly after the clash between Trump and Zelensky, which resulted in the cancellation of a planned press conference and a minerals agreement. Additionally, the files released by the U.K. Parliament highlighted Mandelson's controversial ties to Jeffrey Epstein, which ultimately led to his dismissal as ambassador in September 2025.