The king’s present – which came just days after the third assassination attempt on Trump – is a Chinese homophone for ‘attending the dying’
3-MIN READ3-MINNayan SethPublished: 4:23pm, 30 Apr 2026Chinese social media reacted with amusement and disbelief as Britain’s King Charles gave US President Donald Trump a World War II-era British submarine bell as a gift, highlighting differing cultural interpretations of the unusual gesture.“Gifting a bell isn’t a big deal in Western culture – but it’s quite amusing, as far as we’re concerned!” a user on Chinese social media wrote.
Plucked from the vessel’s conning tower, the artefact was presented to Trump in a carefully choreographed gesture.
Unveiling the bell during his state dinner speech, the British monarch said: “May it stand as a testimony [sic] to our nations’ shared history and shining future,” before adding a touch of English humour to the proceedings. “And should you ever need to get hold of us, well, just give us a ring,” Charles quipped.
The flattery had its intended effect. Trump stood up, clapped and gave the king a thumbs up.
