One British official told the paper that as the nation’s Commander-in-Chief, “you would always expect our Commander-in-Chief to defend the Armed Forces’ proud record of service and sacrifice”.
Another source added: “It was made very clear that the King’s concern over the hurt had been caused by the comments whether inadvertent or not.”
Buckingham Palace declined to comment when approached.
Prime Minister’s Direct Call With Trump
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also raised the issue directly with the President during a phone call on Saturday afternoon.
A No10 spokesperson said:
“The Prime Minister spoke to the President of the United States, Donald Trump, this afternoon.
“The Prime Minister raised the brave and heroic British and American soldiers who fought side by side in Afghanistan, many of whom never returned home. We must never forget their sacrifice, he said.
“As Ukraine approaches the fourth year of war since Russia’s full-scale invasion, the leaders agreed on the need to see progress towards a sustainable ceasefire.