Rod Stewart appeared to catch King Charles III off guard after making a pointed comment about Donald Trump during a royal event at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
The moment took place on Monday evening during The King’s Trust 50th Anniversary Celebration, where the King greeted a line-up of celebrity guests including Rita Ora, Anne-Marie and Craig David.
As the monarch reached Stewart in the receiving line, the veteran rocker praised Charles over his recent state visit to the United States before making a controversial swipe seemingly aimed at Trump.
“May I say, well done in the Americas,” Stewart said in footage later shared online. “You were superb. Absolutely superb. You put that little rat bag in his place.”
The King did not visibly react to the comment, although people standing nearby appeared to laugh as the brief exchange quickly moved on.
The remark adds another chapter to Stewart’s increasingly public criticism of Trump, despite the pair once being friendly neighbours in Palm Beach, Florida during the early 2010s.
In a 2025 interview with the Radio Times, Stewart said he no longer considered Trump a friend, criticising his political conduct and stance on global conflicts.
“Since he became President, he became another guy,” Stewart said at the time. “Somebody I didn’t know.”
The singer also referenced concerns over arms sales linked to the conflict in Gaza, questioning how peace could ever be achieved under current conditions.
The royal event itself celebrated 50 years of The King’s Trust, the charity founded by Charles in 1976 to support disadvantaged young people across the UK and internationally.
Stewart has long maintained links with the royal family and was knighted in 2016 for services to music and charity.
