President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump officially welcomed King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the White House and Washington, D.C., on a historic state visit that will balance how the two countries balance diplomacy and pleasantries amid geopolitical tension.
The visit comes as Trump has placed pressure on the United Kingdom to help with the war in Iran and the two world powers grapple with adversaries like China and Russia. It follows Trump’s historic second visit to the U.K. last September, which was notable since most second-term presidents have only ever been invited once.
The unique relationship between the U.S. and U.K. is on display this week, particularly as America celebrates the 250th anniversary of its independence from Great Britain.
Pomp and circumstance for the monarch’s arrival
Security on the South Lawn was reportedly tight for the king and queen’s arrival Tuesday morning, since there were so many high-ranking U.S. officials, including Trump, in the same location after the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday.
Several top Trump administration members and allies welcomed British officials to the South Lawn Tuesday morning. They included Vice President JD Vance, second lady Usha Vance, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and more. Other VIPs included British Ambassador Christian Turner, Apple CEO Tim Cook and others.
The pageantry kicked off on Tuesday morning with both country’s national anthems. As part of the formal arrival ceremony for the king, Charles and Trump inspected the troops gathered on the lawn. They also participated in a troop in review, which was new this year.
A military flyover occurred Tuesday morning and a 21-round ceremonial cannon salute took place on the Ellipse Grounds. After the initial ceremony, the leaders participated in a gift exchange, a receiving line with official delegations of each country and a bilateral meeting. The first lady and Camilla will be participating in a history lesson with students.
As Charles and Camilla left the White House, Trump briefly said that it was a “really good meeting” and the King is “a fantastic person.”
On Monday afternoon, the monarchs arrived in Washington for an initial meeting with Trump and the first lady. They had tea and were given a tour of the new beehive at the White House.
They attended a large gathering at a garden party at the British embassy, where more than 600 guests from the U.K. and U.S. top leaders participated in the first garden party at the British embassy since 1939.
Soft power of the royals
The ceremony and military symbolism at the White House is likely an attempt to show Charles how critical the U.S. relationship is for his country as relations are strained due to Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer disagreed over international issues, including tariffs and war.
The visit is just as important for Charles, who was diagnosed with cancer in February 2024. At 77, the visit is an attempt to maintain a good relationship between Buckingham Palace and the White House so Charles can set his son Prince William, his successor, up for success with the U.S. upon his death. Additionally, the British government knows the soft power that the monarchs carry for their country despite holding a nonpartisan and nonruling position. The U.K. also knows how much admiration Trump holds for the crown.
It’s an important meeting for the president, who has consistently stated his affection for the royal family. His mother, Mary MacCleod, grew up in Scotland and loved the monarchs.
Trump delivered remarks before the crowd, noting that it was a “beautiful British day” with cloud cover and drizzling rain in Washington. The president noted that the royal visit comes ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary, saying that honoring the British king “might seem an ironic beginning to our celebration of 250 years of American independence.”
“But in fact, no tribute could be more appropriate,” he said. “Long before Americans had a nation or a Constitution, we first had a culture, a character and a creed. Before we ever proclaimed our independence, Americans carried within us the rarest of gifts, moral courage, and it came from a small but mighty kingdom from across the sea.”
Trump highlighted how the country was founded on British spirit and English traditions. He noted that in the centuries since American independence, the United States has had no closer friend than the British, including the critical relationship between President Franklin Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
Other events
Charles will make a joint address to both chambers of Congress on Tuesday afternoon, where he is expected to speak of reconciliation and how the two countries have had differences, yet “always found ways to come together.”
The king and queen on Wednesday will go to New York City, where Charles and Camilla will visit the One World Trade Center to honor the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. They will meet with families of victims and first responders nearly 25 years after the attacks.
The visit is notable given Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth II, visited Ground Zero in 2010. She paid respects to the victims by laying a wreath and meeting with families. She also created a memorial garden for the 67 British victims who died in the attacks. Shortly after the 2001 attack, Elizabeth broke with tradition and ordered the Royal Guard to play “The Star-Spangled Banner” to honor the American tragedy and the joint pain felt by the United Kingdom.
Charles will conclude his U.S. visit in Virginia, where he will go to a national park and attend community and environmental events.
After that, the royals will travel to Bermuda, which is part of the U.K. Commonwealth.