Falkland Islanders issue 5-word King Charles demand after Donald Trump threat

Falkland Islanders have issued a five-word demand to King Charles III after a memo reportedly suggested that the United States could review its support for British sovereignty over the archipelago. The document suggested that European “imperial possessions” could be examined, which would include the British overseas territory in the South Atlantic. It comes after President Donald Trump said he is “not happy” with the level of support offered by the UK during the US and Israel’s war against Iran.

Patrick Watts MBE , 81, was the radio station manager in Stanley when the Argentines invaded in 1982. He stoically continued to broadcast after soldiers burst into his studio. Mr Watts, was presented with his MBE by the late Queen Elizabeth II, who, he said, didn’t show any emotion, but talked to him in a “warm manner”

He told The Express that the King needs to “step up to the plate”. Mr Watts said: “It’s a very, very disappointing, and it would appear to be retaliatory in terms of Britain not giving the USA all the support that they demanded in their attack on Iran.”

He added: “The Falklands never had an indigenous population, and Britain settled them, and all our ancestors came from Britain to fly the flag for Great Britain.” The former broadcaster also mentioned a 2013 referendum, during which 99.8% of voters chose to remain a British territory.

When asked if he were surprised at the move from the President, Mr Watts said: “Nothing Donald Trump does these days shocks me at all. I mean, you never know what you’re going to wake up to find, what Trump has suddenly made proclamations about.”

He added: “I’m more amazed at the American people voted him in as President. I still can’t work out why the American people today are not concerned about him, about his erratic behaviour.”

Mr Watts told Mr Trump: “Please leave the Falklands alone. “We’re a peaceful community, a financially autonomous community that wishes to remain British, and there’s no desire to change to any other regime, or under any other country’s control. Leave us out of this equation.”

He added: “There are people here, I’ll be honest with you, there are people that I talked to who are very concerned about what might happen, because considering Trump walked into Venezuela, and got what he wanted there, and then he, just suddenly out of the blue, went and decided to attack Iran, and things seemed to have not gone according to plan there.

“People here, there are people I’ve met who are very concerned about what might happen down here.”

The King and Queen are set to be in the US between April 27 and 30.

Mr Watts said: “I would say that if ever the Falkland Islands needed the support of their monarch, this is it. This is the time when King Charles has to step up to the plate and really tell Donald Trump who the Falklands are, who owns the Falklands and what the people’s desires are. And I hope he will.”

Tony Smith, 64, a battlefield guide with Discovery Falklands, is not that worried by Trump’s bombshell at present, but thinks it is something to keep an eye on.

Mr Smith said: “You never know how far he’s willing to go with something.

“So, if it becomes more of an issue, of course, we would be concerned about that.

“At the moment, I haven’t got much to say.”

He added: “I’m immediately a bit weary because of how Trump is – he’s capable of doing anything, as we’ve seen.

“It’s something we could be concerned about if it turns into a bigger issue, or more of an issue.”

When asked if it had insulted islanders, Mr Smith replied: “It’s Trump, isn’t it? I mean, I’m sure he’s insulted almost everyone.

He added: “It is worrying with somebody like him, with the power that he has, just how he thinks he can do whatever he likes… He seems to think he can do whatever he likes anywhere in the world, doesn’t he?

“So, you know, where we’re probably just a small part of that.”

Today’s Argentinian government is “a bit more reasonable”, Mr Smith suggested, highlighting that they are seeking a “diplomatic solution to the situation as they see it”.

“If it had been the previous government, they would have been probably celebrating today,” he said.

The tour guide suggested that nationalistic hardliners in the country are “probably getting excited by it”, but “we just have to see whether it turns into something more”.

Falklands War veteran Gary Clement MBE, 70, who served as a Royal Marine in the Commando Logistic Regiment during the conflict, is glad the British government has “come out very strongly against” Mr Trump.

He added: “We just have to live with these things. It’s a constant here, part of living in the Falkland Islands. The Argentinian claim is always there.

“They’re trying politically all the time now. So, I don’t think this will make much of a difference to us on the islands, anyway.”

He does not believe the President would listen to him, were he in a position to say something to him.

Mr Clement said regarding what he has perceived to be veterans’ overall reaction that “no one’s treating it with any seriousness”.

Robert Midgley, spokesperson for Friends of the British Overseas Territories said: “On the 44th anniversary of the Falklands War, it’s unthinkable that our closest ally would even consider shifting on the islanders’ right to self‑determination.

“The Falklands have been British longer than Argentina has existed — and the islanders’ democratic choice must be respected.”

Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesperson said earlier today: “We could not be clearer about the UK’s position on the Falklands.

“It’s longstanding, it’s unchanged. Sovereignty rests with the UK and self-determination is paramount.”

They added: “The Falkland Islands have previously voted overwhelmingly in favour of remaining an overseas territory. We have always stood behind the right to self-determination.”

He also said the UK has “expressed this position previously clearly to successive US administrations”.

On whether he were confident the UK could defend the Falklands, he replied: “That is not the situation we’re in. That’s a hypothetical.”

“We’ve expressed our position before, we’ll continue to express that position,” the spokesman added.

“Sovereignty rests with us. Self-determination is paramount.”