UK Envoy to US Says America’s Only ‘Special Relationship’ Is With Israel, Not Britain

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WASHINGTON — In leaked private remarks that have landed with explosive force just as King Charles III begins a high-stakes state visit to the United States, Britain’s ambassador to Washington has declared that America’s only real “special relationship” is with Israel—not the United Kingdom .

Sir Christian Turner, who took up his post in Washington in February, made the comments during a private question-and-answer session with visiting British students. A recording obtained by the Financial Times has now thrust the seasoned diplomat into the center of a transatlantic political storm .

“I think there is probably one country that has a special relationship with the United States — and that is probably Israel.”
— Sir Christian Turner, British Ambassador to the United States

📜 “Quite Nostalgic, Quite Backwards-Looking”

Turner did not stop at identifying Israel as Washington’s preeminent partner. He also took direct aim at the cherished political cliché coined by Winston Churchill, dismissing the US-UK “special relationship” label as outdated and backward-looking .

In the recording, Turner said he dislikes the phrase, calling it “quite nostalgic, it’s quite backwards-looking, and it has a lot of baggage about it.” He added that while the UK-US bond remains “very strong,” it “is going to have to be different” in the future .

Instead of relying on nostalgia, Turner argued that Britain and Europe must “work to redefine” their security relationship with Washington rather than depending on the American security umbrella .

👑 A Devastating Diplomatic Timing

The leak could hardly have come at a worse moment. King Charles III and Queen Camilla are currently on their first state visit to the United States since the monarch ascended the throne, a trip explicitly designed to “renew and revitalise a unique friendship” between the two allies .

The ambassador’s remarks have overshadowed the carefully choreographed diplomatic overtures, which included the King’s historic address to the US Congress—the first by a British monarch since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 .

Turner’s own public statements have stood in stark contrast to his private ones. Just days before the leak, he had called the King’s visit an effort to “renew and revitalise a unique friendship” .

🇺🇦 The Epstein Echo and Domestic Turmoil

The leaked recording contains additional politically sensitive material beyond the ambassador’s assessment of US-UK relations.

Turner questioned why no senior American figures have faced accountability over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, calling it “extraordinary” that the affair has “brought down a senior member of the royal family [Prince Andrew], a British ambassador to Washington [Peter Mandelson], potentially the prime minister, and yet here in the US, it really hasn’t touched anybody” .

The ambassador also bluntly assessed Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s political standing, describing him as “pretty clearly on the ropes” and his future as “quite touch and go.” Turner speculated that Starmer could be removed by his own party if Labour performs badly in local elections scheduled for May 7 .

🏛️ The Strained Context of the Royal Visit

Ambassador Turner’s assessment of the “special relationship” comes at a moment of genuine strain between London and Washington.

President Donald Trump has publicly criticized Starmer over Britain’s refusal to fully join the US-Israeli war effort against Iran, at one point dismissing the Prime Minister as “no Churchill”—a pointed reference to the wartime leader who coined the “special relationship” phrase in 1946 .

The current state of US-UK ties has been described by observers as the lowest since the 1956 Suez Crisis, when the US pressured Britain and France to withdraw from the Suez Canal zone .

Despite the political complexities, the White House has sought to emphasize continuity. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the King’s visit would “honour the long-standing and special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom” .

📢 Official Damage Control

The UK Foreign Office was quick to distance the government from Turner’s remarks.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “These were private, informal comments made to a group of UK sixth-form students visiting the US in early February. They are certainly not any reflection of the UK Government’s position” .

Despite the official pushback, the comments represent a major diplomatic embarrassment for Downing Street at a critical juncture. Turner was appointed in December following the dramatic dismissal of Peter Mandelson, the Prime Minister’s initial pick for the role, who was forced to withdraw over links to Jeffrey Epstein .

📊 Key Takeaways

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Updated: April 28, 2026