King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived at the White House on Monday for a state visit in Washington, a city still rattled by a weekend shooting and a transatlantic alliance showing fresh signs of strain.
British flags lined lamp-posts outside the White House, where President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greeted the royal couple with handshakes. The four exchanged pleasantries and posed for photographs before heading inside for a private tea. The president and first lady then took the royals on a tour of the newly expanded White House beehive on the south lawn.
Later, Charles and Camilla attended a garden party at the British embassy, joining Trump administration officials including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Medicare and Medicaid Administrator Mehmet Oz. Waiters served sandwiches featuring Scottish smoked salmon and roasted British beef with horseradish. An eager crowd gathered around the king as he moved through the expansive gardens. Guests also included House Speaker Mike Johnson, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, pollster Kellyanne Conway, Republican Senators Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham, Congressman Michael McCaul, and former Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. The convivial atmosphere in warm sunshine gave no hint of a bilateral relationship in crisis.
Background of the Visit
The four-day tour, intended to mark the 250th anniversary of US independence, begins against the backdrop of a diplomatic rift over Trump's war in Iran and a dramatic security scare at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner the previous Saturday. A gunman opened fire inside the Washington Hilton hotel, prompting Secret Service agents to rush the president from the dais. Officials believe the president and his administration were likely targets, prompting an urgent review of security arrangements before the king's arrival.
For Charles, the posture was "keep calm and carry on." Buckingham Palace said the visit would proceed after consultations with US authorities. A spokesperson stated: "The King and Queen are most grateful to all those who have worked at pace to ensure this remains the case."
Key Events
On Tuesday, the king will speak at a packed state dinner in the White House East Room and give a rare address to the US Congress. He is set to tell Congress that while the UK and US have not always agreed on everything, their shared traditions, including "democratic, legal and social traditions," mean that "time and again, our two countries have always found ways to come together." These remarks will be seen as a tacit acknowledgment of recent transatlantic strains. Charles is also expected to make brief reference to the weekend shooting and offer "the highest regard and friendship of the British people to the people of the United States" on the 250th anniversary of American independence.
This is only the second time a British monarch has addressed a joint meeting of Congress, the first being Queen Elizabeth II in 1991. Charles will then travel to New York to visit the September 11 memorial alongside New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, before concluding in Virginia, where he will meet conservation groups, reflecting a cause he has championed for more than half a century.
Political and Diplomatic Context
Some British politicians worry that the king's soft power mission is fraught with opportunities for embarrassment, with Trump's recent attacks on Pope Leo XIV intensifying concerns. Relations between the two allies have been bruised by Trump's public criticism of Britain's refusal to back military action against Iran. In recent weeks, the president has derided Prime Minister Keir Starmer as "no Winston Churchill," while leaked Pentagon discussions about revisiting US support for British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands have deepened unease.
Yet Trump, who places unusual emphasis on the diplomatic role of monarchs in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries, has carefully separated his admiration for the king from his frustrations with the government. He has repeatedly described Charles as "a great man" and "a friend," suggesting the royal couple's presence could help steady relations.
Christian Turner, the British ambassador to the US, told CBS's Face the Nation on Sunday: "We had a small difference of opinion in 1776. We've been through that. We've come a very long way and that, in a way, for me, is what is so enduring about these relationships. It's that we've had differences. Thatcher to Reagan, Roosevelt with Churchill, actually, over how to handle Stalin. These are moments in the relationship that actually endured because it is so deep on security."
Controversy Over Epstein Links
The continuing scandal surrounding the king's younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has surfaced ahead of the tour. Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna is convening Epstein survivors on Capitol Hill on Tuesday and urging the king to meet them. He said: "The British people have actually been very strong on this Epstein matter, demanding accountability and justice – stronger than the American government in terms of taking action. So the king doesn't have to get into any details of his brother's case but it's just standing with survivors and calling for accountability around the world."
British journalist Emily Maitlis said on the News Agents podcast that, until two weeks ago, Queen Camilla was "very keen" to meet victims of Epstein alongside Melania Trump. Maitlis added: "She said, 'I've spent my life fighting for women's voices, I've spent my life fighting for victims, we will find a way to do it.'" But palace officials have made clear there will be no meetings with Epstein survivors during the trip, citing legal concerns over ongoing investigations in the US and Britain.
Charles has visited the US 19 times, but this is his first state visit to the country since becoming king in 2022. His mother made four state visits to the country.
