(ANSA) - ROME, FEBRUARY 25 - King Charles was due to see European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in London today, to play an important role in the final part of the highly controversial negotiations on the Northern Ireland protocol.
This was reported by Sky News, revealing a meeting - later canceled - suggested by Number 10 while after weeks of tense talks and growing anger between the Conservatives and the Tories, an agreement between the United Kingdom and the EU on the post-Brexit agreement of the Northern Ireland, which could cause a major rebellion.
"There is no suggestion that the king would have taken part in the talks - writes Sky News - but it could have been interpreted as a blessing for the negotiations at an advanced stage, or even a total approval of the
However, the fight was canceled before Friday.
The plan for Saturday was for Von der Leyen to meet Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to approve the deal and separately for him to meet the king.
Calling the agreement the "Windsor Agreement", giving it an air of royal authority, was also discussed, but the reso's support was likely to be deeply controversial, with Charles risking being accused of intervening in politics even before the agreement. 'coronation.
The decision to organize the meeting would have been jointly agreed by Downing Street and Buckingham Palace, writes Sky News, adding that after the public revelation of the plan, British government sources said that Von der Leyen would no longer have to travel to the UK today, and that in any case it would not have been improper for the king, as head of state, to meet a visiting European leader.
No formal invitation was ever offered, but British politicians and senior and official EU officials were aware of the event which was due to take place in Windsor this afternoon.
A source close to the negotiations says the king's involvement was definitely an attempt to sell the protocol nationwide.
(HANDLE).