'I was in the room as the King delivered a landmark speech and one key gesture stood out'

Billed as a historic moment for the monarchy, the King stood in front of hundreds of politicians from both the upper and lower houses and delivered a speech in a mix of English and Italian. He hailed the strength of the UK-Italian relationship and spoke affectionately about the host country’s contributions to the arts, fashion and cultural spheres.

Confidently speaking for over 25 minutes the King showcased what the monarch does best: soft power. But there was one awkward moment near the end, when the President of the Chamber of Deputies, President Lorenzo Fontana, mistakenly thought the King had finished his speech and interrupted him.

He announced to the chamber that the proceedings had concluded. An awkward silence followed, with the king turning around and gesturing that he wasn't yet finished. He then resumed his speech - and had fortunately found the moment amusing as he joked: “I am nearly finished.”

His speech was punctuated by frequent rounds of applause, laughter and appreciation from the audience. It was well received, as the King said the two nations “stand together” on important issues such as defence, climate change and sustainability.

The monarch made jokes about the English “corrupting your wonderful cuisine”.

This visit is, of course, about wooing our European neighbours following Brexit and at a time of global political upheaval in the wake of Donald Trump’s punishing tariffs and uncertainty over the Ukraine war.

Those present clearly had a deep respect for the King, responding to his speech with yet another standing ovation and rapturous applause.

The King deftly acknowledged the response before exiting the chamber with the Queen by his side.