Feb 26th, 2026
We went to Buckingham Palace, urging King Charles to say NO to Trump
By 38 Degrees team
Today outside Buckingham Palace, petition-starter and retired priest Paul Tarrant delivered a message on behalf of more than 125,000 people – urging the King to call off his planned US visit to Donald Trump.
Paul, 68, set up his first ever 38 Degrees petition to ask King Charles not to accept Trump’s invitation to the 250th anniversary of American independence later this year.
He said: “I used to live in the USA, and this has had an impact on me. I feel Donald Trump has been very insulting to this country, and if King Charles declined the invitation, it would send a strong message that we are not at his beck and call.”
Paul’s petition has struck a cord across the country, especially after Donald Trump tried to buy Greenland and insulted British troops who served on the front line in Afghanistan. Over 10,000 38 Degrees supporters submitted postcard messages for the King.
Like Brenda, who wrote to the King to say: “I was surprised to learn that you intend to accept Donald Trump’s invitation to visit the U.S.A.. This would appear to condone his recent activities including plans to take over Greenland, outrageous and deeply insulting remarks re NATO troops and the terrifying activities of ICE. Please reconsider.”
Today, Paul pulled off an eye-catching stunt to amplify his huge petition – posing with a giant postcard, alongside sacks of thousands of postcards full of messages from 38 Degrees supporters to the King, which will be delivered straight to the palace.
Matthew McGregor, CEO at 38 Degrees, said:
“The British public are clear on the values that are important to them: decency, fairness and respect. But time and time again, Donald Trump has shown himself at odds with these values, from his actions on the world stage to his insulting comments about British troops. It’s no wonder that hundreds of thousands of us have decided enough is enough, and are sending a strong message to the King today: stand up to Trump, stand up for our country’s values and turn down his invitation.”
