Donald Trump’s forthcoming State visit to Britain was hit by a diplomatic row last night after it emerged he wants to avoid Prince Charles because of their dispute over global warming.

The President is understood to have made it clear he does not want talks with the Prince at Clarence House, a regular feature of such visits. Trump is said to fear a meeting will encourage environmentalists to stage protests against him.

Reports of Trump’s threatened boycott of the Prince come a week after the publication of a new book by the heir to the throne warning of the threat posed by climate change.

Donald Trump is said to want to avoid meeting with Prince Charles, above, when he visits the UK as the pair clash on climate change issues

The rift threatens to cast a cloud over Theresa May’s hopes that the visit she announced during her trip to America last week would seal a new Anglo-US ‘special relationship’.

Following Theresa May's visit to the White House, plans are being laid down for Trump's trip, but he doesn't want to see Charles

The Prince, who wrote on climate change in last week’s Mail on Sunday, is said to regard Trump’s views on the issue as ‘appalling’ and is ‘relaxed’ about the prospect of not meeting him. ‘If the opportunity arises, the Prince would discuss the issue with the President in a courteous, respectful and candid way,’ said a well-placed source.

HRH THE CLIMATE CHANGE AVENGER TRUMP: 'The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.' Tweet, November 2012 CHARLES: 'We can take the scientific evidence and act accordingly or... we will continue to test our world to destruction until we finally have the "evidence" to show that its viability and habitability have been destroyed.' Mail on Sunday, last week Advertisement

‘If the President does not want tea at Clarence House, that is a matter for him. It would be a pity because, as a non-politician, Charles is in a unique position to raise matters like this. Either way, he will play a full part in the State visit.’

Instead of seeing Prince Charles, Trump wants tea or dinner plus a photocall with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Kensington Palace – ‘to get even with Obama’ who was accorded the privilege last year.

An insider said: ‘The White House has got it into its head that Charles is going to lecture Trump about climate change. They don’t want that to happen. Charles doesn’t mind either way. He thinks Trump’s statements on this subject and others are frankly appalling. If Trump meets Charles, the Prince will raise the matter because he feels passionately about it. He isn’t going to cause a row. But if Trump doesn’t want to meet him, so be it.’

Another source said: ‘Trump is treating the State visit like one long wishlist of egotistical treats and photocalls. There is little evidence he plans to do much of any seriousness or substance.’ Trump has described global warming as a Chinese ‘hoax’ intended to wreck American industry. In his new book, the Prince has said we must act to avoid the ‘potentially devastating consequences’ of climate change. He suggested including global warming alerts in TV weather forecasts to raise awareness.

There was a further blow for Trump last night over his reported request to play the nine-hole golf course as a guest of the Queen at her Balmoral estate during his visit, mooted for June. However it is believed Her Majesty is unwilling to bring forward her routine of going to Scotland in September.

Prince will raise issues he is passionate about

Regardless of whether they have a formal meeting, Trump will be unable to avoid Charles altogether. The heir to the throne customarily greets a visiting head of state on his arrival in Britain and escorts them to Horse Guards Parade for a ceremonial parade with the Queen.

Afterwards, Trump and wife Melania are expected to spend two nights at Buckingham Palace, which will include a State banquet. There is no question of Prince Charles missing the banquet – as he did last year when Chinese President Xi Jinping made an official visit.

His absence sparked speculation that it was linked to the Prince’s support for the exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama.

It was the latest in a string of snubs to the Chinese by Prince Charles. He boycotted the 2008 Beijing Olympics in Beijing due to his support for Tibet and called China’s leaders ‘appalling old waxworks’ after the handover of Hong Kong to Beijing in 1997.