King Charles III gave US President Donald Trump a taste of his own medicine at a White House state dinner yesterday when he joked that without the British, Americans would be speaking French.

As the heads of state traded jokes during their dinner toasts, Charles referenced previous comments by Trump aimed at European allies he accuses of freeloading on defense since World War II.

“You recently commented, Mr President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German. Dare I say that, if it wasn’t for us, you’d be speaking French,” Charles quipped.

The king was talking about places with British and French origins in North America, where the rival colonial powers battled for control of the continent before US independence 250 years ago.

At the Davos summit in January, Trump said that without US help in World War II, “you’d be speaking German and a little Japanese.”

Earlier, King Charles told the US Congress that despite an age of uncertainty and conflict in Europe and the Middle East, the UK and the US will always be staunch allies united in defending democracy, at a time of deep divisions between the two long-time allies over the war with Iran.

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In a speech that Buckingham Palace said beforehand would not be political, Charles also made references to Trump’s criticism of Nato, highlighted the importance of continued US help for Ukraine in its war with Russia, the dangers of isolationism, and even a call for the safeguarding of nature, an important issue to the king for most of his life.

Charles referred to the September 11, 2001, attacks, saying, “we answered the call together, as our people have done so for more than a century, shoulder to shoulder through two world wars, the Cold War, Afghanistan and moments that have defined our shared security today. Mr Speaker, that same unyielding resolve is needed for the defense of Ukraine, and her most courageous people.”