(SeaPRwire) –   During a White House state banquet, President Donald Trump asserted that King Charles III shares his view that Iran must be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons.

“We are currently engaged in some work in the Middle East… and it is progressing very well,” Trump remarked Tuesday evening, alluding to the Iran conflict while speaking alongside King Charles and Queen Camilla.

“We have achieved a military victory over that specific adversary, and we are determined to ensure—Charles agrees with me, perhaps even more strongly than I do—that this opponent will never possess a nuclear weapon; they are aware of that,” he added.

The statement risked involving the monarch in the political controversy surrounding the Iran conflict, which has already caused a notable rift between the Trump administration and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

As the U.K.’s head of state, the King maintains political neutrality and does not serve as a representative for the British government.

Charles did not explicitly address the Iran conflict during his own remarks at the banquet.

When asked for a response on Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace stated regarding Trump’s comments: “The King is naturally mindful of his Government’s long-standing and well-known position on the prevention of nuclear proliferation.”

In his dinner speech, delivered shortly after addressing Congress, Charles emphasized the necessity of U.K.-U.S. cooperation.

“We gather tonight to reaffirm an essential partnership that has long served as a foundation for the prosperity and security of both British and American citizens,” he stated. “Our people have stood together in battle and sacrificed in defense of the values we hold dear.”

The state visit serves as a chance to mend the bilateral alliance, which has been strained by Trump’s criticism of Starmer for failing to participate directly in the Iran conflict.

Indicating a potential improvement in relations, Trump noted earlier on Tuesday that the U.S. has “no closer friends than the British.”

Trump, who has long expressed admiration for the royal family, repeatedly praised Charles throughout the visit, and the two shared several lighthearted moments during the banquet.

“Mr. President, you recently remarked that without the United States, European nations would be speaking German,” Charles noted, referencing a comment Trump previously made at Davos.

“Dare I say that, if it were not for us, you would be speaking French,” the King joked, drawing laughter from the audience.

Despite the cordial atmosphere, Charles had previously highlighted areas where his views diverge from Trump’s.

In his address to Congress, the King advocated for NATO, supported the defense of Ukraine, and called for a rejection of isolationist policies.