The following is the transcript of the interview with Sir Christian Turner, U.K. ambassador to the U.S., that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on April 26, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We turn now to the British Ambassador to the United States. His Excellency, Sir Christian Turner. Good to have you here.
AMB. CHRISTIAN TURNER: Good to be here. Margaret, thank you.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You too, were in that ballroom last night. You got a lot of security training for unstable countries where you have been posted as a professional diplomat over the course of your career. Did you ever imagine in one of the most heavily guarded rooms in DC, you'd have to put that to use?
AMB. TURNER: Well the training I've had in some of those places I've been actually kicks in last night, you basically do what you're told and let the professional security folk do what they do. And I think it was one of my big takeaways last night. I think it was a- I'm with the people who say it was a success story. The Secret Service absolutely did what they needed to, not only that, but seeing actually all the journalists in the room and their training kicking in in a weekend that is all about the freedom of the press. I'm full of admiration for the way people responded last night.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well you- me too, but you have a week ahead of you, because King Charles and Queen Camilla are expected to arrive tomorrow. This is a going to be a big event regardless of what happened last night. But just to be clear, you haven't changed your security assessment. You believe it is still safe for them to come and speak to Congress and be at the White House?
AMB. TURNER: So we respond to that professional advice. I'm currently planning to be welcoming their Majesties tomorrow. But of course, our team has been in touch way through the night, and we'll be through the day to see whether the events of last night have any change in our operational planning. And I'm very confident that their Majesties will have the very best security throughout the visit.
MARGARET BRENNAN: All right, there is another big ballroom gathering planned, right? For the King.
AMB. TURNER: it's going to be an extraordinary three or four days for us. Margaret. We've been planning this visit for years. Really, it's the 250th between our two countries. I mean a somber background after last night for all of us. But I still hope we'll be able to showcase this moment to make it the celebration that it deserves to be.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, a celebration, but to be clear, it's also a bit of repair work right to the special relationship. The president had been quite upset with your Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who didn't initially support the offensive operations by the U.S. and Israel against Iran, and the president was very clear he was not happy with him. He mocked him. He said he's no Winston Churchill. He said it was too late for the UK to even offer help. And then there was other tension about the UK. As a NATO ally, how much repair work is this visit actually about?
AMB. TURNER: Well, the extraordinary thing in the British Constitution, of course, is the king is above politics. I have to remind people, he's never given--
MARGARET BRENNAN: He's a definite political asset, let's be clear.
AMB. TURNER: But he's never given an interview, which I have to remind people because, of course, he's the head of state, but he's not the head of government. So actually, that's why we can make this a moment to step up and step back. And I think, I mean, just to take it back to last night. I mean, the other takeaway is that strong sentiment you were just discussing with your last guest, the president, calling for us to resolve our differences peacefully, that there is, there is no place for political violence in any of our democracies. You know, these are, these are enduring messages. They're baked into our political makeup, into your political makeup, that ability for us to look back we had a small difference of opinion in 1776. 1776 we've been through that. We've- we've come a very long way, and that, in a way, for me, is what is so enduring about this relationship. It's that we've had differences. Thatcher to Reagan. Roosevelt with Churchill actually over how to handle Stalin. These are moments in the relationship but actually it endures because it is so deep on security, yes, NATO on our investment. We are the largest investor in 21 states, $430 billion of trade. I mean, the statistics come out, but it's actually about the people that we want this to focus. So I am, I'm very confident that's where we will want to focus our time this week. And I should add, the prime minister spoke to the president this morning after the incident, the king sent a personal message to the president and first lady. So actually, in diplomacy, it's as much personal as it is political.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, on the diplomatic front, the UK has been convening European countries to try to figure out what to do with the Strait of Hormuz after combat ends. You know the Iran file quite well. You were previously a negotiator here. What's your assessment on who is running Iran right now and whether we see an end to this conflict anytime soon?
AMB. TURNER: So, it's difficult in in Tehran, there are clearly some divisions. You pointed to that initial disagreement before the war, but since then, Margaret, actually, the UK, has been doing a lot. We were using our bases for defensive strikes. We've flown something like 2000 sorties with aircraft in the Middle East shooting down drones and missiles to protect our allies every night, in very close coordination with the US. And, of course, our intelligence base, we don't talk about it much, but it's the absolute foundation of of so much that is that is going on. We share the same intent, the same policy as the US. We want to constrain this regime and its threat. We want the straits open again. So this coalition you refer to that President Macron has worked with, with my Prime Minister, Keir Starmer on, what we want, that to do something like 50 countries coming together to work out --
MARGARET BRENNAN: Secretary Hegseth called it silly. He said it was just a bunch of meetings.
AMB. TURNER: Well, it is --
MARGARET BRENNAN: What are you going to plan to do--
AMB. TURNER: Yeah, it is planning, once the straits are open, to ensure that the navigation we need has got the assurance of a whole package of boats, of drones, of intelligence to be able to make sure that shipping goes through. Because that's what American citizens need. That's what British citizens need. The people of Asia need. The global economy is suffering, and we want to see that resolved.
MARGARET BRENNAN: It is indeed. Thank you, ambassador, good luck this week. We'll be right back.
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