Rod Stewart's team is likely framing this as a moment of authentic British wit—nothing more than an 81-year-old rock legend being charmingly outspoken with royalty. The rocker has always been known for his unfiltered opinions, and his camp will argue he was simply complimenting King Charles on his diplomatic prowess during the recent U.S. state visit.
But here's what they're not telling you: Stewart used to be Trump golf buddies and Christmas party regulars down in Florida. The fact that he's now publicly calling the sitting president a 'rat bag' tells me there's some serious bad blood behind the scenes—probably tied to those arms sales comments he made last year about Israel. This isn't just random celebrity shade; this is someone burning a bridge they once bragged about.
On May 11, 2026, at Royal Albert Hall during the King's Trust 50th anniversary gala, Stewart told Charles: 'You put that little rat bag in his place!'—a viral moment captured by Daily Mail royal editor Rebecca English. Additionally, Stewart confirmed to Radio Times in June 2025 that he no longer considered Trump a friend due to arms sales to Israel.
Stewart's crack at Trump's expense while standing three feet from British royalty is the kind of unfiltered celebrity moment we live for—and it exposes exactly how far his relationship with the former 'friend' has deteriorated. Buckle up, because this is only going to get messier.
Rod Stewart doesn't do subtle, and he proved it spectacularly on Monday night when he delivered what might be the most viral moment of King Charles III's entire reign. The 81-year-old "Maggie May" crooner was greeting the monarch backstage at London's Royal Albert Hall during the 50th anniversary celebration for The King's Trust—the charity Charles founded in 1976 to support vulnerable British youth—when he decided to weigh in on international affairs with characteristic bluntness.
The exchange, captured in a clip shared by Rebecca English, the Daily Mail's royal editor, shows Stewart shaking hands with the 77-year-old king before dropping what will undoubtedly be remembered as his signature quote of the year. "May I say well done in the Americas," Stewart began, clearly referencing Charles's recent state visit to the United States from April 27-30. "You were superb.
Absolutely superb." Then came the kicker: "You put that little rat bag in his place!" The video captures Charles chuckling at the remark and gesturing toward Stewart before moving on to greet Faces bandmate Ronnie Wood, 78—seemingly trying to process what he'd just heard from one of Britain's most beloved musical exports. The gala itself was a glittering affair featuring an A-list guest list that included George and Amal Clooney, Rita Ora, Lily Collins, and was presented by British television icons Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly.
But despite the star power surrounding them, it was Stewart's off-the-cuff remark that stole the spotlight—and sent social media into a frenzy within hours of the footage going viral. Here's where the story gets genuinely interesting: This isn't some random celebrity taking a political swing at the president. Stewart once called Trump a personal friend and his Florida neighbor, admitting he used to attend Trump's Christmas parties and lived "literally half a mile away" from Mar-a-Lago.
But in a June 2025 interview with Radio Times, Stewart made clear how dramatically that relationship had soured. "I can't [consider him a friend] any more," Stewart said at the time, specifically citing Trump's continued arms sales to Israel as a dealbreaker. "How's that war ever gonna stop?
And we [the British] should stop selling them as well." The rocker also accused Trump of not treating women well and suggested he'd become "another guy" after entering politics—someone he no longer recognized from their pre-political days together on the beach in Florida. Us Weekly has reached out to representatives for the White House, Buckingham Palace, and Stewart for comment. Whether this moment was truly spontaneous or calculated remains unclear—but one thing's certain: Rod Stewart just handed the internet its new favorite soundbite, and he's not backing down from a single word of it.
