Washington, April 29 (ANI): Britain’s King Charles III presented U.S. President Donald Trump with the original bell from the World War II-era British submarine HMS Trump during a state dinner at the White House, highlighting the enduring alliance between the two nations.
The formal white-tie event, hosted by President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, marked the first such diplomatic gathering of its kind since 2007.
Presenting the historic artifact, the King described the bell as a symbol of shared history and a “shining future” between the United Kingdom and the United States. Adding a note of humor, he told the President, “Should you ever need to get hold of us… just give us a ring.”
According to Buckingham Palace, the gift was intended as a “symbol of friendship,” drawing a parallel to Queen Elizabeth II’s 1976 visit, when she presented the bicentennial Liberty Bell to commemorate 200 years of American independence.
In his remarks, President Trump described the U.S.-UK relationship as a “friendship unlike any other on Earth.”
The evening also featured light-hearted exchanges, with the King joking about recent architectural changes to the White House’s East Wing and referencing Britain’s 1814 campaign, during which British forces set fire to the building.
The submarine HMS Trump, launched in 1944, was a third-group T-class vessel built by Vickers-Armstrongs in Barrow. It served with the Royal Navy’s 4th Submarine Flotilla in Australia, carrying out operations across the Pacific and the Java Sea during World War II.
Following the war, the submarine remained active in Australian waters, undergoing upgrades before being decommissioned in 1969 and later scrapped in 1971.
The presentation took place during the King and Queen Camilla’s inaugural state visit to the United States, which began on April 27. The visit has included a tour of the White House, a reception at the British Embassy, and an address by King Charles to a joint session of Congress.
In his congressional address, the King emphasized the importance of the U.S.-UK partnership and called for continued American support for Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict with Russia. (ANI)
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