Britain's King Charles III will host European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen at Windsor Castle despite warnings that the meeting will drag the British monarchy into the political announcement on a new Brexit deal.
Charles and Ms von der Leyen will sit down for tea late on Monday after she is expected to sign off on a Northern Ireland Protocol agreement with British prime minister Rishi Sunak.
Buckingham Palace said the king was acting on “the government’s advice” and that their discussions would feature a “range of topics”.
There were fears the king, who must remain politically neutral, might be drawn into the process of the UK and EU agreeing the new deal or be seen as tacitly endorsing it.
Conservatives were among those voicing their criticism of the meeting before it was even confirmed, following suggestions the deal would be called the “Windsor Agreement”.
Sammy Wilson, the chief whip of the DUP, said the expected meeting risked “dragging the king into a hugely controversial political issue”.
Leading Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg said it would be a mistake for Ms von der Leyen to meet the king during her visit to the UK.
The former British cabinet minister told GB News: “I think the sovereign should only be involved when things have been completed and accepted.
“The king gives assent to acts of parliament when parliament has agreed. He doesn’t express his view on acts of parliament when they are going through the process.
“I think the same applies – that His Majesty should not be involved until there is full support for this agreement.”
Topics up for discussion include climate change and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, though it was unknown if they will discuss Northern Ireland.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “The king is pleased to meet any world leader if they are visiting Britain and it is the government’s advice that he should do so.”
Charles and Ms von der Leyen will meet at Windsor Castle once her commitments elsewhere have been fulfilled.
