King Charles III concluded his first visit to the United States as monarch Thursday, wrapping up a four-day state visit alongside Queen Camilla. The trip was intended to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence.
The royal couple had a busy itinerary, including a White House arrival, an address to Congress, a state dinner, and a visit to nearby New York City and Virginia. The visit came during a time of diplomatic tension, as President Donald Trump has recently criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the lack of U.K. support for U.S. military actions in Iran.
The trip marks Charles’ 20th visit to the U.S., but his first as king, according to C-Span. It follows Trump’s visit to the U.K. seven months ago, where the monarchy hosted him at Windsor Castle, as previously reported by the Deseret News.
Here are five highlights from the royal visit:
Address to Congress
On Tuesday, Charles became the first British monarch to address a joint meeting of Congress in 35 years. He followed the path of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who spoke there in 1991, according to C-Span.
Accepting an invitation from House and Senate leaders, the king focused on the “enduring bond” between the two nations, according to BBC.
He noted that the relationship is centered on “shared creativity, enterprise and values.” While he celebrated the alliance, he also defended international cooperation and NATO, gently pushing back against recent criticism of the alliance, according to The New York Times.
Standing ovation
During his speech to Congress, the king drew a standing ovation when he discussed checks and balances in American government, highlighting the concept’s roots in English history and the Magna Carta.
“In both of our countries, it is the very fact of our vibrant, diverse and free societies that gives us our collective strength, including to support victims of some of the ills that, so tragically, exist in both our societies today,” Charles said.
Charles also used the platform to advocate for environmental protection, describing nature as “our most precious and irreplaceable asset” and calling for a shared responsibility to safeguard it, as reported by The New York Times.
Honoring 9/11 victims in New York
On Wednesday, the king and queen traveled to New York City for a whirlwind day of events. They began at the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum where they laid flowers and met with those who attended the event.
Community outreach
The royal couple separated for solo events in New York. Queen Camilla visited the New York Public Library to promote literacy, reading “Winnie the Pooh” to local children, where she was joined by Sarah Jessica Parker, according to NBC News.
Meanwhile, King Charles visited an urban farm in Harlem, where he visited with children at Harlem Grown, according to NBC News. The king, an advocate for sustainable agriculture, spent time touring the garden and helped feed the farm’s chickens.
Harlem Grown is a nonprofit organization that helps teach youth about food, sustainability and nutrition through local farms.
The New York itinerary wrapped up at Rockefeller Center to celebrate 50 years of The King’s Trust charity, featuring an address given by singer and ambassador Lionel Richie, according to NBC News.
Celebrating the 250th in Virginia
The final leg of the royal visit took the king and queen to Virginia. They visited Shenandoah National Park and attended a community block party in Front Royal to mark the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
To highlight the two nations’ shared equestrian heritage, the queen visited a horse farm near The Plains in Virginia to remember the history of the horse-racing industry.
The visit from King Charles and Queen Camilla has been pegged as the “most consequential state visit” for Charles during his reign, according to USA Today.