What King Charles III Can Teach You About the Art of Rhetoric

On 28 April, 2026, King Charles III rose to speak at dinner in the White House and delivered a quiet masterclass in the oldest art in politics: the art of persuasion.

Charles opened his dinner remarks not with a grand thesis, but with an act of sympathy. He acknowledged the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner just days before, paying tribute to Trump and Melania for their "courage and steadfastness." This is the oldest rhetorical technique, dating back to Ancient Greece. Aristotle called it ethos.

Ethos refers to the speaker's credibility and moral character.

Ethos has three elements:

1. Phronesis - refers to the speaker's intelligence and experience, establishing them as knowledgeable

2. Arete - moral value of the argument

3. Eunoia - mutual understanding, speaker's likability and accessibility

Let’s see how the King continues the art of rhetoric in his dinner speech.

Then the gear change. Having established gravity, the King pivoted immediately to comedy — remarking upon the East Wing renovations before noting that the British had made their own "small attempt at real estate development of the White House in 1814," the year British forces burned it to the ground. The joke was self-deprecating on behalf of his nation, and flattering the President's own passion for construction. Lightheartedly, with a single sentence, the King desused two centuries of historical awkwardness.

My favourite King’s joke was about Winston Churchill facing President Ruselvelt naked as he came out of the bathroom (the President wanted to have a chat). Upon seeing Churchill without his clothes, Ruselvelt stated, "The British Prime Minister has nothing to conceal from the President."

Having moved through sympathy, self-deprecating comedy, and shared history, the King arrived at his true destination: the language of kinship. He spoke of the "truly unique" relationship between two nations bound by language, history, and common purpose — and made it feel, for a moment, genuinely felt rather than merely diplomatic. That is what rhetoric, at its finest, can do. 

Warmly

Olga Smith

Public Speaking Phenomenon of Princess Diana

In our elocution lessons, students strive for perfection. We work on RP, controlled delivery, and confident body language.

At the same time, I always encourage all my students to be authentic, recognise their individual strengths and use what is uniquely theirs.

Princess Diana is one of the clearest real-world examples of how authenticity matters even more than perfection.

Early in her public life, her speech was noticeably formal and careful. You could hear the effort to “get it right.” The tone was controlled, slightly distant, and highly polished in a traditional sense. Let's have a look at how her speaking style transformed.

• In the Anti-landmine speech (1997), she said: “I am not a political figure, nor do I wish to be one, but with the spirit of compassion, I appeal…”

She lowers her status (“I am not a political figure”) and builds trust by removing the tension around authority. She uses “I” and emotional framing instead of formal political language. Her humility creates an instant connection.

• In her HIV/AIDS speech (1987), she said: “HIV does not make people dangerous to know, so you can shake their hands and give them a hug…”

Her direct, simple, human language (no technical terms) and the use of physical imagery (“shake hands,” “hug”) enhance emotional clarity.

• Princess Diana often visited charities and hospitals. She often said things like:

“I just want to be with people and listen.”

Such short, unforced sentences and wanting to listen show her authenticity.

• In many speeches and interviews, Diana used pauses to add emotional weight.

She pauses before emotional points.

She slows down noticeably when topics are sensitive.

Her public speaking strengths were:

• simplicity

• authenticity

• clarity

• compassion

• connection with the audience

• emotional vulnerability

• great use of pauses

Princess Diana did not become impactful by sounding perfect. She achieved tremendous success in public speaking by being clear, present, and human. Her speeches show how she became who she was born to be - The Princess of People’s Hearts.

If you want to discover your own strengths in public speaking, please get in touch: www.batcsglobal.com/contact

Warmly, Olga Smith

308. The Power of Great Communication: Lessons from Exceptional Leaders

Whether we are leading a team, pitching an idea, or navigating change, our ability to communicate often defines our success. Everybody is unique and has their own communication style. At the same time, we can learn from the best practices of top leaders.

Lesson 1: The Power of Vision and Emotion

Martin Luther King's speeches, especially his iconic “I Have a Dream, " prove how an emotional connection can inspire action. He didn’t just share ideas, he painted a vision people could feel and believe in.

Lesson 2: Simplicity Wins

Steve Jobs was a master of simplifying complex ideas. Whether unveiling a new product or explaining innovation, he made technology accessible and exciting. If you can’t explain it in simple terms, you don’t understand it well enough.

3. Lesson 3: Authentic Connection

Oprah Winfrey's success is her ability to connect deeply with people. She listens with compassion, responds with empathy, and creates space for open, meaningful conversations.

A Personal Reflection

I’ve discovered that my strengths are storytelling and my confident presence. My weakness: my speech can become rushed when I’m emotional.

Self-awareness is the first step to becoming a better communicator.

Do you know your communication strengths and weaknesses? Share them in the comments. I read every response.

Warmly

Olga Smith

306. Do The Right Thing

This is my motto.

Often, others try to manipulate me, advise me or ask me what I “should be doing” and “how good it would be for me.” It could be a dinner invitation, and I do not eat after 6 pm. So it is a NO for me, but others would say: “If you do it once, nothing will happen”.

Even more often, I am manipulated by my lazy brain (this is the brain's most important quality: to economise our energy for survival; the brain wants us to do what is necessary for our survival). For example, I should go for a run, but instead I have coffee with a cookie, or instead of practising my RP I watch my favourite comedian.

I looked back and realised that when I was a teenager, my willpower and sense of direction were much stronger. Somehow, I do not feel as strong in resisting temptation.

I know that if I don’t do the right thing, it is a road to nowhere. I will lose my direction.

I remember one of my great teachers once told me: move the world, baby, or the world will move you.

Each time I deviate from my direction, this phrase helps me to get back to myself.

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.batcsglobal.com

301. Mini 1-Minute Public Speaking Challenge

What if you could become a more confident speaker in just 60 seconds a day?

Public speaking doesn’t require a stage, a big audience, or hours of preparation. It starts with consistency—and small, intentional practice.

Here’s a simple challenge you can start today:

⏱ The 1-Minute Speaking Habit

Every day, pick a topic and speak about it for one minute. That’s it.

No scripts. No overthinking. Just speak.

How it works:

• Choose any topic (your day, an idea, a news story, a lesson learned)

• Set a timer for 60 seconds

• Speak out loud—ideally record yourself

• Don’t stop, even if you stumble

Why this works:

• Builds clarity of thought

• Reduces fear of speaking

• Improves articulation and confidence

• Trains you to think on your feet

Want to level up? Try this:

• Day 1–3: Speak freely

• Day 4–7: Add structure (beginning, middle, end)

• Week 2: Focus on tone, pauses, and body language

• Week 3: Challenge yourself with tougher topics

I do this exercise every day, I love it and it has become a habit for me. I can always find one minute a day to have fun and do something useful at the same time.

Your turn:
What will you speak about today?

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.batcsglobal.com

297. Learning in 2026: From Information to Expertise to Execution

With the invention of the internet, we got access to information. I remember waiting for books at the library. Now, I can search, scroll, and find almost anything instantly.

But information alone didn’t make us capable. It just made us aware.

With the rise of AI, we’ve entered a different era.

We now have access to expertise.

Learning has changed

We no longer need to attend lectures or spend months mastering theory before taking action. It is no longer about preparing first and doing later. It’s now a hands-on process.

We learn by doing.

You get the information and expertise you need for a specific task—and apply it immediately.

My experience improving a website with AI

Recently, I worked on improving my website, focusing on SEO and performance.

A few years ago, this would’ve meant:

• Taking full SEO courses

• Reading endless blogs about algorithms

• Hiring an expert

• Spending weeks testing without clarity

This time was different.

I didn’t study SEO in the traditional sense.
I improved the website directly.

• Needed better structure → got clear recommendations

• Needed keyword ideas → generated and refined them instantly

• Needed optimisation → made targeted improvements with guidance

I wasn’t becoming an SEO expert.

I was operating like one—with help.

The shift: learning by doing

This is the biggest change in 2026:

Learning is no longer preparation.
Learning is execution.

Instead of:

• Studying first

• Practicing later

We now:

1. Start with something real

2. Identify gaps

3. Get expert-level guidance

4. Apply immediately

Repeat.

Why this works? Because context beats theory.

Everything I learned had a purpose:

• SEO → visibility

• Content → ranking and conversion

• Structure → clarity for users and search engines

Nothing was abstract. Everything was practical.

The new skill: learning on demand

The most valuable skill today isn’t knowing everything.

It’s:

• Asking the right questions

• Applying answers quickly

• Iterating fast

Learning on demand.

The internet gave us access to information.
AI gave us access to expertise.

Now the only thing left is action.

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.batcsglobal.com