He said: "As you may know, when I address my own Parliament at Westminster, we still follow an age-old tradition and take a member of Parliament 'hostage' – holding him or her at Buckingham Palace until I am safely returned.

"These days, we look after our 'guest' rather well – to the point that they often do not want to leave! I don't know, Mr Speaker, if there were any volunteers for that role here today?

"King George never set foot in America and, please rest assured, I am not here as part of some cunning rearguard action!

"The Founding Fathers were bold and imaginative rebels with a cause – 250 years ago, or, as we say in the United Kingdom, just the other day, they declared Independence."

Sources familiar with preparations for the speech said the King's humor was far from spontaneous, instead shaped through a collaborative drafting process designed to land with an American audience.

One palace aide told us: "There was a conscious effort to sharpen the tone of Charles' words – and to make sure the jokes traveled across cultures.

"It was less about improvisation and more about precision writing, similar to how late-night shows workshop their material."

Another said: 'The King has a natural wit, but this was refined. Lines were tested, adjusted and structured to ensure they resonated in a highly structured environment without causing offense.

"It created the impression of effortless charm, but behind the scenes it was highly curated – every beat was deliberate."

Charles' words at the State Dinner included a nod to tensions between Britain and the States.

He said: "You recently commented, Mr President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German. Dare I say that, if it wasn't for us, you'd be speaking French."

Trump responded warmly to the King's performance, praising his address and engaging in light-hearted exchanges throughout the visit.

He said: "He made a great speech, I was very jealous."