When Donald Trump suggested during his state visit to England that King Charles III adopt a new name the British monarch’s response was as swift and decisive as a royal decree — a polite but firm “no” that left the American president’s grandiose rebranding effort dead in the water.
The president described the awkward exchange on Sept. 19 during his address at the American Cornerstone Institute’s Founder’s Dinner at George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate in Virginia.
During his remarks at the home of the nation’s first president, Trump revealed his fascination with medieval royalty and his unsuccessful attempt to rebrand the current king. Trump regaled the audience with his discovery of William the Conqueror, gushing about the historical figure’s “coolest name” and impressive castle-building résumé.
President Trump, "The name of the King at the time was William the Conqueror"
— Farrukh (@implausibleblog) September 21, 2025
"I said that's the coolest name I ever heard. And he built this massive castle. He was known for winning wars"
"In fact I asked King Charles: why don't we call you Charles the Conqueror?"
"He said:… pic.twitter.com/Xrlyt31Xvd
“I asked King Charles, Why don’t we call you Charles the Conqueror? He said no. I don’t think so. But he’s a great guy, and he’s doing a great job, an unbelievable job,” Trump recounted, seemingly oblivious to the historical weight behind such titles.
The president’s enthusiasm for the nickname “Charles the Conqueror,” stemmed from William’s reputation for “winning wars,” though Trump’s understanding of the conquest appeared somewhat superficial.
Social media users wasted no time dissecting the president’s latest verbal adventure.
One creative observer penned a poem capturing the moment: “A man-child at the podium, craving a crown, Dreaming of titles to pass around. ‘William the Conqueror, coolest I’ve seen! Why can’t I be Donald the King, so mean?’ He begs for cool names, like toys on a shelf, Still trying to conquer the mirror himself.”
“Does he have any clue about why he was called the conqueror?” one user asked.
Another expressed disbelief, “I lived long enough to hear a President of the United States admit that he’d never heard of William the Conquerer until he found out that he’s the guy who built Windsor Castle,” to which someone replied, “Trump gutted education in America so stupidity can become the norm.”
The online commentary revealed a mix of amusement and concern about Trump’s apparent unfamiliarity with basic European history.
According to the royal’s official website, William earned his “Conqueror” title through his decisive victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, fundamentally transforming English society, culture, and language through Norman influence. Critics questioned whether Trump understood the violent conquest that earned William his legendary status.
Trump’s fascination with royal titles isn’t entirely surprising, given his recent tendency to embrace monarchical imagery.
In February 2025, following his administration’s decision to end New York City’s congestion pricing program, the president declared on social media: “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!”
"CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!"
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 19, 2025
–President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/IMr4tq0sMB
The White House amplified the message with a computer-generated image showing Trump wearing a golden crown on a fake Time magazine cover.
According to CNN, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul responded pointedly to Trump’s posturing himself as a monarch, “We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king.” Her rebuke highlighted the tension between Trump’s grandiose self-perception and American democratic principles, reminding citizens that the United States specifically rejected monarchical rule centuries ago.
The nickname incident occurred during Trump’s recent visit to Britain, where he experienced what he called “one of the highest honors of my life” through elaborate royal pageantry.
The trip featured unprecedented ceremony, including the largest guard of honor in living memory with 120 horses and 1,300 troops, carriage rides, aerial displays, and a Windsor Castle state dinner. Trump plans to reciprocate by inviting King Charles and Queen Camilla to the United States sometime next year.
Online observers found humor in the contrast between Trump’s royal ambitions and the monarch’s diplomatic rejection.
“God, he even makes Charles look respectable and decent,” one commenter wrote, while another noted, “Imagine being this ignorant and having no idea you’re that ignorant and that the world is laughing at you to your face.”
King Charles’s gentle but firm rejection of Trump’s suggested nickname demonstrates the measured diplomacy that defines modern constitutional monarchy — politely declining grandiose suggestions while maintaining diplomatic relations, leaving social media to fill in the entertaining commentary.
