King Charles Meets Trump at White House

Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived at the White House for a ceremonial welcome hosted by President Trump and first lady Melania Trump. The event featured a 21-gun salute, national anthems performed by the United States Marine Band, and a review of US military troops.

The visit marks the 250th anniversary of American independence from Britain. The royals viewed the White House beehive on the South Lawn, accompanied by Carlo Figarella, the White House assistant pastry chef. Figarella presented jars of honey to the visitors.

Melania Trump noted that extra honey would be provided for the king and queen, citing their interest in it.

Charles and President Trump held a bilateral meeting, which included an exchange of gifts. The meeting occurred off-camera following the initial greeting. Queen Camilla and Melania Trump participated in a separate educational event involving virtual reality headsets and AI-enabled glasses with American students.

The king's schedule includes meetings with congressional leaders before his address. This is the second time a British monarch has addressed a joint session of Congress. He plans to acknowledge challenges the two nations face. The speech comes amid tensions over the US war with Iran.

President Trump has criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for refusing substantial military assistance in the conflict. ” UK officials hope the visit will help ease these strains. The king's government aims for private conversations during the visit to influence relations positively.

The monarch must remain above politics, but the tour is seen as an opportunity to mend ties.

The four-day state visit began with the royals' arrival in the US. Tomorrow, King Charles will travel to New York for a 9/11 Memorial event and activities focused on trade and business. The visit is his first to the US as monarch since ascending the throne in 2022.

She wore a buttercream yellow skirt suit designed by Adam Lippes. The first lady has previously described becoming pen pals with King Charles after meeting him in 2019, discussing his commitment to environmental conservation. On the same day as the White House events, Melania Trump posted on X criticizing comedian Jimmy Kimmel for a joke about her.

Trump has threatened to tear up a US-UK trade deal, mocked the Royal Navy, and insulted the prime minister. The visit occurs without planned meetings between the royals and survivors of Jeffrey Epstein, due to ongoing British legal inquiries involving Epstein's ties to the royal family.

Charles's brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested earlier this year on suspicion of misconduct in public office, though he has denied wrongdoing related to Epstein.