The US President who tried to set King Charles up with his daughter

King Charles has met nine US presidents, with one trying to set the then Prince of Wales up with his daughter. Charles was 21 when he visited Washington DC in July 1970 for his first official visit.

He had been invited by the daughters of then US president Richard Nixon, Julie Nixon Eisenhower and Tricia Nixon Cox. Accompanied by Princess Anne, Charles attended a barbecue at Camp David, met two Apollo astronauts, went for a boat ride to George Washington's Mount Vernon estate and dined at the White House.

An eligible bachelor at the time, Charles later told CNN the trip was at a time when there were attempts to marry him off to Tricia Nixon.

In an interview in 2021, Charles told the US broadcaster: "That was quite amusing, I must say. That was the time they were trying to marry me off to Tricia Nixon."

For her part, Tricia Nixon had said Charles was "an excellent dancer". But a more intimate relationship did not develop, with some arguing there was no ulterior motive for the trip.

Frank Gannon, an aide to the president at the time, told the Telegraph Nixon was not hoping for a romance between Charles and Tricia.

Mr Gannon said Tricia was secretly engaged to her eventual husband, Ed Cox, for over a year by July 1970.

President Nixon had backed Charles's visit to the US as a public relations boost, according to a memo sent to his national security advisor, Henry Kissinger, in January 1970.

Charles is described as a "real gem" in the memo, which read: "I think this could do an enormous amount of good for US-British relations."

The future king's trip came as the Vietnam War was raging and relations with the UK were under strain as Britain had declined to join the conflict.

Despite the political differences between the US and UK at the time, the trip appeared to be a resounding success.

In a thank you note, Charles wrote to Nixon: "The kindness shown to us at the White House was almost overwhelming and for that we are immensely grateful.

"Both my sister and I take back to Britain the most heart-warming evidence of what is known as the special relationship between our two countries and of the great hospitality shown to us by you and your family."

Biographer Sally Bedell Smith wrote that Charles joked with President George W Bush and then First Lady Laura Bush that they shouldn't try to "fix up" their twin daughters with Prince William and Prince Harry in the way Nixon had tried to set him up with Tricia.

Charles's state visit to the US earlier this week came at a time when relations between the US and UK are at a low ebb among accusations Britain has not provided enough support for US President Donald Trump's war with Iran.

On day two of King Charles and Queen Camilla's state visit, the monarch used a speech to Congress to say the story of the UK and US since the United State gained independence was "one of the greatest alliances in human history" where the two nations find ways to "come together".

Charles also said defending common ideals was "crucial for liberty and equality", as was the rule of law, which lies at the heart of both nations' democratic traditions and shared economic prosperity.