Two and a half centuries after the revolution across the Atlantic severed the imperial bond, the King and Queen are set to visit the United States as the nation marks 250 years of independence.

The irony is deliberate but understated. A direct descendant of George III, the monarch who lost the American colonies, will help honour the superpower they became. It is a diplomatic circle closing.

What Charles's fifth great-grandfather might have regarded with disbelief, President Donald Trump appears eager to stage with operatic flourish. For him, it is theatre fused with symbolism.

For the King, it is duty, legacy, and measured resolve. The visit would be a milestone for a monarch visiting Britain's closest ally.

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