A public opinion poll conducted by Ipsos a few days before the UK royal state visit to the United States revealed that only a third of Britons (33%) expected the trip to have a positive impact on UK-US relations. The survey, which sampled 1,000 British adults, also found that less than a quarter (23%) believed a 'special relationship' between the two countries actually exists.
The state visit, which took place in late April 2026, was the first by a British monarch to the US since 2007. King Charles III and Queen Camilla met with President Joe Biden at the White House, attended a state dinner, and visited New York City. The trip was widely covered in both UK and US media, with some commentators suggesting it could help revive the so-called 'special relationship.'
However, the Ipsos data indicates significant public skepticism in the UK. Only 12% of respondents said the visit would strengthen ties, while 45% believed it would have no effect. The poll had a margin of error of ±3 percentage points. No post-visit polling data was immediately available to assess any change in public opinion.
