Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived in the United States on Monday for a four-day visit, a trip that has gained even greater prominence following the shooting at the White House correspondents’ dinner and amid a bitter feud between close aides.
The most high-profile and consequential state visit of Charles’s reign so far, it marks the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence from British rule, and is the first visit to the country by a British monarch for two decades.
It begins with a private meeting with President Donald Trump, a self-proclaimed royal admirer, and includes an address to Congress and a gala dinner at the White House.
Press dinner shooting just a few days before the trip
But the long-planned visit has become mired in a political dispute between the two countries over the US-Israel war over Iran, leading Trump to express deep resentment towards the British government for failing to support the offensive.
The shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington on Saturday, with the acting US attorney general saying the president and his administration officials were the likely targets, has further impacted the trip.
Buckingham Palace said the visit would still go ahead as planned following discussions between British and US officials to determine whether the incident would impact the royal family’s plans.
“The King and Queen are very grateful to all those who have acted swiftly to ensure this situation remains in place and they look forward to the visit starting tomorrow,” a palace spokesman said on Sunday.
Trump has criticized Britain on Iran’s stance
Upon arriving in Washington, the king and queen had a private tea with the president, an unabashed lover of the British royal family who regularly describes Charles as a “great guy,” and his wife, first lady Melania Trump.
The 77-year-old king, who is still undergoing treatment for cancer, will address Congress the next day – marking the second time a British monarch has done so.
The royal family will then head to New York where they will remember those killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks ahead of the 25th anniversary, while the Queen will also celebrate the centenary of children’s stories featuring Winnie the Pooh.
The US trip ended with King meeting people involved in conservation work in Virginia, marking half a century of his environmental campaigning.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government is hoping the visit will improve the future of the two allies’ “special relationship,” which is at its lowest level since the Suez crisis in 1956.
Britain’s ambassador to the US, Christian Turner, said the visit would highlight the shared history, sacrifices and common values ​​between the two countries, adding that the approach would be quintessentially British: “Keep Calm, Carry On.”
While Trump has toned down his criticism of Britain in recent days over its response to the Iran war, an internal Pentagon email describing how the US might review its position on Britain’s claim to the Falkland Islands as punishment for a lack of support has once again strained relations.
