Welcome to POLITICO’s West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration. With help from Lawrence Ukenye. Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Eli | Email Lauren LONDON — He’s the oldest man ever to ascend to his powerful position, one for which he waited most of his life. He lost his first wife in a car crash and has a son who possesses a knack for drawing unflattering headlines. He has put climate change at the heart of his agenda. That’s President JOE BIDEN. But it’s also his unlikely kindred spirit, KING CHARLES III. The two men met Monday for the first time since Charles took the throne, with Biden making a stop in London before heading to the week’s main event, the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. Adhering to U.S. tradition, the president did not attend the king’s coronation back in May — the events of 1776 have something to do with this — but made sure to pay respects to the king’s new position on his next trip across the Atlantic. Biden, a proud Irish American, has long made clear privately that he is not a fan of the English monarchy. But he has told confidants he respected Queen Elizabeth’s leadership and longevity. And, during his years as vice president, he found common ground with Charles on the need to urgently combat climate change. The two men have an unexpected warmth, according to people close to Biden. And it was on display Monday, but only briefly in the public eye. When Biden’s motorcade arrived on the Windsor Castle grounds just after noon, the king was already waiting to meet him. They shook hands and Biden tapped and clasped the king’s elbow in a familiar fashion as the two smiling men inspected the traditional honor guard. It was a degree of familiarity — and informality — that Biden did not dare exhibit two years ago when he came to Windsor to call on Queen Elizabeth. Technically, it’s still a breach of protocol, not that anyone seemed to mind. Biden, 80, and Charles, 74, are of the same generation and have each suffered immense personal tragedy and public scrutiny. One was elected, the other ascended to his post. But both receive less than the full adoration of their respective nations. National security adviser JAKE SULLIVAN previewed the visit by saying Biden approached the “relationship with enormous goodwill” and said it would “deepen the personal bond, the personal relationship” between the men. However, the press did not get a chance to actually hear the two speak to each other. As the pair prepared to address a group of business leaders over how to combat climate change, reporters were ushered from the room before either man spoke — despite the official White House schedule indicating the pool would be able to cover some of the remarks. It was reminiscent, for some journalists, of their experience at Windsor two years earlier, when the press pool was similarly frustrated over the lack of coverage opportunities — so much so that, a short time later, as Biden prepped for an airport gaggle with reporters, a heated conversation broke out between an aide and some members of the pool. In total, Biden spent less than two hours with the king. But that was still a longer visit than the 50 or so minutes he spent with Prime Minister RISHI SUNAK earlier in the day. That marked the two men’s sixth meeting in six months, the last coming just a month ago at the White House. Monday’s meeting at 10 Downing Street — Biden’s first visit to the prime minister’s residence as president — was deemed ahead of time by Sullivan as “an ongoing conversation, like returning to a text thread of sorts that they'd been having over the last six months on all of the significant issues of consequence.” The two men hit upon a number of key issues — including the war in Ukraine and NATO expansion. And they did not let a recent difference of opinion on cluster munitions — the U.S. is sending some to Kyiv, the U.K. will not — or more long-held tensions about Northern Ireland overshadow their meeting, according to American officials. In brief remarks, Biden said he “couldn’t be meeting with a closer friend and a greater ally” than Sunak, calling the U.S.-U.K. relationship “rock solid.” But Sunak is already the third U.K. prime minister of Biden’s term and his party suffers from low poll numbers and seems poised to be swept from power. Biden has told aides that, despite a near four-decade age gap, he likes Sunak — especially compared to BORIS JOHNSON, whose antics he found grating — but wonders if he’ll soon have to get to know another leader. Once more across the pond, perhaps. MESSAGE US — Are you LARRY THE CAT? We want to hear from you. And we’ll keep you anonymous! Email us at westwingtips@politico.com. Did someone forward this email to you? Subscribe here!
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