King Charles will depart for the US today for a state visit to Washington DC New York and Virginia.
The event will also coincide with the 250th anniversary of American independence from British rule, and the world will see him return on May 2, 2026.
The cities included are;
- Washington: America’s 250th anniversary is being celebrated
- New York: Modern UK-US relations highlighted through culture, community and economic development
- Virginia: Connecting with local communities, heritage and nature
In terms of a day-to-day breakdown here’s what will happen;
day 1
On the day of his arrival, the king will have tea in the Green Room, tour the White House and sit on the South Portico of the White House with his wife, US President Donald Trump, and First Lady Melania Trump.
Day 2:
The day will begin with the State Arrival Ceremony on the South Lawn. The formal reception will then begin, and the public will watch the King and Queen be awarded military honors by United States Army Herald Trumpets.
This will be followed by a 21-gun salute from the Presidential Salute Battery led by the United States Marine Band.
This will immediately be followed by an inspection of the troops with the U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps. Finally, after the performance, there will be remarks by the President.
This will be followed by the appearance on the Blue Room balcony for a “pass in review” of 300 U.S. service members as well as 500 personnel from all six armed forces branches. Only then will they be taken to sign the White House guest book, participate in the official gift exchange and join the welcome line with the US and UK delegations.
The schedules were then split, with King Charles holding a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office. Queen Camilla will separately join students in a cross-cultural event in the White House Tennis Pavilion, using virtual reality and AI tools to explore UK-US relations with the First Lady.
Finally, King Charles has his second event of the day, in which he will appear inside the British Congress, becoming the first British monarch to do so since 1991.
The evening will be the only official time the King and Queen will be seen together, and that will be for a state dinner in the East Room of the White House.
Day 3:
The next day will include a visit to New York City, where the king and queen are scheduled to attend the 25th anniversary of the September 11 memorial services with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, but they will also meet with first responders.
His visit to Virginia will take place on the same day, and it is there that he will celebrate 250 years of the founding of the United States. A community “block party” will also be held following the event.
Day 4:
The final day is when King Charles and Queen Camilla will bid farewell to the President and his First Lady, which will take place on the South Portico of the White House. A ceremony will also be held at the Diplomatic Reception Room before the actual departure. before the monarchs departed for Bermuda for their fifth and sixth days outside the UK.
