UK ambassador to Washington says America’s only ‘special relationship’ is with Israel, not Britain
The UK's ambassador to Washington, Sir Christian Turner, reportedly stated that America's only 'special relationship' is with Israel, not the UK, during a private conversation in February. His comments emerged during King Charles's state visit to the US, contrasting with President Trump's public praise of the US-UK bond. Turner described the traditional 'special relationship' as nostalgic and in need of redefinition, while also commenting on the Epstein scandal and UK political tensions. The remarks come amid diplomatic strain over Britain's refusal to join the US-Israeli war on Iran.
- ▪Sir Christian Turner said the US likely has only one 'special relationship,' suggesting it is with Israel rather than the UK.
- ▪The comments were made privately to British students in February but surfaced during King Charles's 2026 state visit to the United States.
- ▪Turner criticized the lack of US accountability in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, noting it brought down figures in the UK but not in America.
- ▪President Trump publicly reaffirmed strong US-UK ties during the state visit, calling Britain 'no closer friend' despite the ambassador's remarks.
- ▪Turner also expressed doubts about Keir Starmer's leadership, suggesting he could be ousted after local elections.
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NewsUKHome NewsUK ambassador to Washington says America’s only ‘special relationship’ is with Israel, not BritainSir Christian Turner’s comments were reportedly made in February during a private conversation with visiting students from the UK, but emerged on the second day of King Charles’s state visit to the USAlex Croft Tuesday 28 April 2026 17:00 BSTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":true,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"b2966567","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-washington-ambassador-special-relationship-israel-b2966567.html","title":"UK…
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