King Charles and Queen Camilla End New York Visit with 9/11 Memorial Tribute and Charity Events

King Charles III and Queen Camilla paid tribute at the 9/11 Memorial in New York City on April 29, 2026, laying flowers and meeting families of victims from the 2001 attacks. The couple left a bouquet of white roses beside the memorial pools, accompanied by a note honoring the nearly 3,000 lives lost. They spoke with first responders and representatives of charities supporting the families.

Charles visited Harlem Grown, a nonprofit in Harlem that teaches children about urban farming, sustainability, and nutrition. He joined local youth in feeding chickens, planting lavender and mustard greens, and discussing educational programs. The king, 77, interacted with children who presented him with letters during the outdoor event.

Separately, Camilla attended a literacy event at the New York Public Library to promote her charity, the Queen’s Reading Room. She was joined by actress Sarah Jessica Parker, former Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, singer Katherine Jenkins, and authors Min Jin Lee and Harlan Coben.

Camilla donated a replacement stuffed toy of Roo to complete the library's original Winnie-the-Pooh collection from the 1920s.

“The first Americans, I met in life were the characters I met in my treasured childhood novels. I knew even then, the books are best friends you can have, in good times and bad.”

Camilla read Winnie-the-Pooh aloud to children and viewed a collection spanning 250 years of shared American and British literary history. She stated that books have transformative benefits for mental health, brain health, and social connections.

Charles met with business leaders from companies including Bank of America, Blackstone, JP Morgan, Comcast, Citigroup, and Alphabet at a trade event on the 65th floor of Rockefeller Center. The king discussed their investments in the U.K. and careers in technology, healthcare, and financial services.

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper also attended the gathering. The royal couple attended a reception at Christie's auction house in Rockefeller Center for the King’s Trust, a charity founded by Charles in 1976 to empower young people in academics and the workforce.

Celebrities in attendance included Anna Wintour, supermodel Karlie Kloss, singer Lionel Richie, actress Nina Dobrev, fashion designer Stella McCartney, Donatella Versace, and Martha Stewart. The event featured a "Greater Together Soft Power Display" of digital, physical, and holographic artwork highlighting the UK-US relationship, viewed by Charles and British ambassador Sir Christian Turner.

Christie's CEO Bonnie Brennan greeted the royals at the hourlong reception.

Charles delivered a joint address to Congress on April 28, 2026, emphasizing the U.S.-U.K. partnership and NATO's role, referencing support after the 9/11 attacks and the need for resolve in defending Ukraine. The visit occurs amid strains between the U.K. and U.S. over the war in Iran.

President Trump stated on April 29, 2026, that he believed Charles would have supported his approach to Iran if it were up to him.

“I think if he were doing that, if that were up to him, he would have probably helped us with Iran.”

The trip also unfolds under the shadow of Charles' brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's connection to the ongoing Epstein scandal. Earlier events included a White House military arrival ceremony and state dinner on April 28, 2026. Charles last visited New York City in 2007, when he played basketball with students at a Harlem charter school. The current visit is his first to the city as king.

30, 2026, the royals will travel to Virginia for a farewell ceremony at the White House, followed by a block party celebrating America's 250th birthday. They will visit a national park and a horse-racing farm before returning to England. The state visit aimed to strengthen cultural and economic ties, with events focusing on arts, sports, community initiatives, and trade between the two nations.