King Charles' visit: Royals arrive to meet with Trumps, attend garden party
King Charles III and Queen Camilla landed in the United States on Monday, April 27, kicking off the first state visit by a British monarch since 2007.
The four-day state visit, touted as a celebration of America's 250th anniversary, is the king's first U.S. trip since his 2023 coronation. The royal pair is set to spend time at the nation's capital, including a formal state dinner at the White House and an address to a joint session of Congress, before venturing to other nearby states.
Their packed schedule includes a ceremonial stop at the memorial dedicated to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City, as well as sightseeing in the Appalachia region, USA TODAY previously reported.
Charles and Camilla's visit is being framed as a chance to repair a rift between two countries with historically deep ties. Tensions have risen in recent months between the United States and the United Kingdom governments over a slew of topics, like the United States' joint war in Iran, the administration's tariffs and ongoing disagreements over theNATO military alliance.
The visit comes at an especially tense time in Washington, DC, as Britain's king and queen arrive days after the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner attended by Trump and other administration officials. Buckingham Palace announced Sunday that the visit would proceed as previously planned.
"Following discussions on both sides of the Atlantic through the day, and acting on advice of government, we can confirm the state visit by their majesties will proceed as planned," a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said, Reuters reported. "The king and queen are most grateful to all those who have worked at pace to ensure this remains the case and are looking forward to the visit getting underway tomorrow."
Day 2 of King Charles' visit: What to expect
James Powel and Nicole Fallert
The Royals are set to have a full schedule on their second day in the U.S.
The king and the president will start the day with a bilateral meeting, while the queen and the first lady are scheduled to lead a separate educational event with students at the White House Tennis Pavilion.
Charles will then address a joint session of Congress, becoming the second British monarch to do so after his mother spoke to the House and Senate in 1991.
The day will be capped with a state dinner at the White House.
The real reason royals always carry purses
Terry Moseley
If you’ve ever watched a royal walkabout or palace event, you’ve probably noticed one accessory that’s almost always there: the purse.
From Queen Elizabeth II’s signature top‑handle handbag to Princess Kate’s ever‑present clutch, royal women rarely step out without one, even when they don’t appear to need anything at all. And while it may seem like a fashion choice, according to the BBC, the purse serves a much bigger purpose.
One of the most enduring royal handbag traditions dates back to Queen Elizabeth II, who reportedly used her purse as a discreet way to signal staff during public engagements.
Royal watchers have said simple movements carried clear messages: Switching the handbag from one arm to the other signaled that a conversation should wrap up; placing it on a table meant she was ready to leave within minutes; setting it on the floor indicated she needed help exiting an interaction.
The purse also plays a role in crowd management: Experts have noted that handbag placement can cue royal protection teams to move a principal along, adjust spacing or wrap up an appearance, all without creating a scene.
Holding a clutch with one or both hands also provides a polite, socially acceptable reason not to shake every hand within reach. Princess Kate is often seen holding her purse with both hands at crowded events, subtly signaling that she isn’t engaging in handshakes at that moment.
So while royal purses may be a fashion statement, their real purpose is far more practical: communication, etiquette, security and control, all wrapped into one accessory.
Royals pass by Trump portrait of assassination attempt
Joey Garrison
As the king and queen toured the White House with the first couple, they passed by a painting depicting the 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania that Trump survived.
The painting, which shows Trump famously pumping his fist after surviving gunfire at a campaign rally, was installed in the White House State Floor in April 2025. It replaced a portrait of former President Barack Obama, which was moved to a different area of the White House.
The Butler-inspired artwork by artist Marc Lipp is based on an Associated Press photograph that captured Trump’s response to the shooting and became a rallying cry and symbol for Trump and his supporters. One man was killed in the attempted assassination by a 20-year-old gunman, and a bullet grazed Trump’s ear.
Later in 2024, Trump was the target of another apparent assassination attempt at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
On Saturday, Trump was the target of a third assassination attempt, according to the Justice Department, when an armed 31-year-old man opened fire and was apprehended outside a hotel ballroom where Trump was attending the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
Melania Trump wears yellow (again) to meet the royals
Patrick Ryan
First Lady Melania Trump is going for the gold.
The first lady stepped out in a pale-yellow buttercream suit as she and her husband, President Donald Trump, greeted King Charles III and Queen Camilla for tea at the White House on April 27.
Melania wore a double-breasted crepe suit from American designer Adam Lippes, who also designed her navy-and-ivory ensemble for the president's second inauguration ceremony last year.
She paired Monday's soft-hued garb with Manolo Blahnik snakeskin pumps.
It's not the first time that the first lady has chosen sunshine hues for royal affairs. Last September, Melania raised eyebrows with a bright-yellow, off-the-shoulder Carolina Herrera dress at Windsor Palace, where she and Trump dined with Charles, Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate.
The highlighter yellow gown, which she paired with a lilac belt, was criticized by some people on social media for being too garish for a state banquet.
But years earlier, Melania won praise for a buttercup J. Mendel gown that she wore for the 2018 state dinner at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England. The soft color and flowing chiffon drew comparisons to Disney princess Belle from "Beauty and the Beast."
In color theory, yellow is associated with optimism, joy and enlightenment.
Trump appears to discuss ballroom with king during greeting
Joey Garrison
Upon greeting King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the White House, Trump appeared to use the moment to discuss his favorite topic – the future White House ballroom.
While talking to the king, Trump gestured toward the site of the future $400 million ballroom on the South Lawn of the White House.
It was unclear what Trump said to the king regarding the ballroom. The two men were too far away to be heard by reporters, and television cameras did not pick up the audio. The king listened to Trump and nodded in response.
Trump has argued that last weekend’s shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner demonstrates why the ballroom is needed to hold safe, secure events for the president and other officials.
Trump has vowed to spend his own money to pay for the ballroom, but the project has drawn criticism for its massive size. Historic preservationists are attempting to defeat the ballroom in court.
Watch the moment the Trumps greet King Charles, Queen Camilla
James Powel
President and first lady Trump greeted the Royals at the White House following their arrival at Joint Base Andrews. The pair met on the South Portico before moving to the Green Room for tea.
Royals end arrival day with garden party
James Powel
The Royals are set to end their first day in the U.S. at a garden party hosted at the British Ambassador’s residence in Washington, DC.
A video from the embassy posted to X shows that the approximately 650 guests will be served an afternoon tea with four different types of tea sandwiches, ranging from a traditional cucumber sandwich to a rule-bending roast beef and horseradish sandwich.
Trumps show off White House beehive to king and queen
Joey Garrison
Following tea with the king and queen in the White House Green room, the Trumps showed off the White House’s new beehive to the royal couple.
The beehive, situated on the south lawn, is shaped like a miniature White House. First lady Melania Trump unveiled the beehive last week as a part of an expansion of the White House honey program.
The beehive is expected to house two additional bee colonies, adding to the two other colonies that produce honey for the White House. The new hive is expected to generate an additional 30 pounds of honey per year, according to the White House.
Monica Crowley greets royals. Who is she?
Francesca Chambers
The first American official to shake King Charles III and Queen Camilla's hands after they landed at Joint Base Andrews? U.S. Ambassador Monica Crowley.
Crowley is chief of protocol — a State Department role. The position requires approval from the Senate and comes with an ambassador title. A former Fox News personality, conservative columnist and Treasury Department spokeswoman, Crowley has overseen the formalities of U.S. visits by foreign leaders in Trump's second term.
That includes greeting foreign leaders when they arrive at the White House, and elsewhere, for formal visits and presidential summits. In announcing her appointment to the position in December 2024 during the transition period before he returned to office, Trump said Crowley would be the administration's representative for all major U.S.-hosted events, including America 2050 and World Cup events in 2026 and the Olympic Games in 2028.
Trumps sit down with king and queen for afternoon tea
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy
King Charles III and Queen Camilla were greeted at the South Portico of the White House by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump as the royals began a four-day state visit to Washington on Monday afternoon.
The foursome then headed to the State Floor where they sat for tea in the Green Room to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Melania Trump wore a buttercream double-breasted wool crepe suit by Adam Lippes and Manolo Blahnik snake pumps while Camilla wore an embroidered white dress, paired with Queen Elizabeth II’s Cartier Union Jack and Stars and Stripes brooch, which was given to the late queen during her 1957 state visit to the United States by Robert F. Wagner Jr., then mayor of New York City.
As the women sat on a silk fabric sofa, the wall behind them showcased a painting of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, painted by Ferdinand Richardt in 1858.
Donald Trump greets King Charles, Queen Camilla at the White House
Kathryn Palmer
A few hours after they touched down at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived at the White House.
The pair was greeted by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, at the South Portico, before moving inside for tea.
King Charles III, Queen Camilla arrive in US
Kathryn Palmer
Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla touched down in the United States on Monday afternoon, kicking off a historical four-day trip.
Charles and Camilla touched down at Joint Base Andrews around 2:30 p.m., according to Reuters, making their landing slightly ahead of schedule.
After their ceremonial welcome at the base, they will head to the White House to meet with the president and first lady, before heading into a packed afternoon of tea, tours and a garden party.
What is the royal visit's Monday schedule?
Kathryn Palmer
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are set to land at Maryland's Joint Base Andrews shortly, where their whirlwind (and tightly scheduled) trip to the United States will begin.
The two will have a ceremonial welcome at the base when they arrive, expected around 3 p.m. ET on Monday. A host of American and British representatives will receive them, according to the British Embassy in Washington, DC.
They will then head to the White House where they will meet with the president and first lady, and proceed to tea. But it won't be an intimate affair with just the two couples, rather, a tea service with over 600 attendees (and more than 2,000 prepared sandwiches).
Charles and Camilla will then tour the White House, the embassy said, before moving on to a garden party hosted at the British Ambassador’s residence.
What kind of cancer does King Charles III have?
Kathryn Palmer
The British monarch, 77, has been battling an unspecified form of cancer since 2024.
Buckingham Palace announced in February 2024 that Charles had a form of cancer, discovered after a corrective procedure for an enlarged prostate. The king was then hospitalized for a short time in March 2025 for side effects from his cancer treatment, which he had continued receiving since returning to public duties in April 2024 shortly after his diagnosis, according to Buckingham Palace.
It's unclear where the monarch stands in his treatment, though he said in a December 2025 video address posted to social media that his "schedule of cancer treatment" could be reduced in 2026.
Princess Kate was diagnosed with cancer one month after King Charles. She announced she was cancer-free in January 2025.
Who is next in line after King Charles?
Kathryn Palmer
After King Charles III, the line of succession turns to his oldest son, Prince William, making him first in line to inherit the throne. William's children — Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 8 — are next in the line of succession.
Upon Queen Elizabeth II's death in September 2022, Charles instantly became king. He was 73 at the time, making him the oldest monarch to ever take the British throne.
His wife, Camilla, formerly the Duchess of Cornwall, became the Queen Consort, at the request of the former monarch.
Latest trip marks first royal visit in over a decade
Kate Perez
The multi-day trip by Charles and Camilla is the first state visit by a British sovereign since Queen Elizabeth in 2007, but not the first between the British royal and Trump.
The late Queen Elizabeth welcomed Trump for a three-day state visit in June 2019 during his first term in office, during which he had attended a state banquet and a private lunch with the sovereign, as well as having tea with Charles, who was then heir.
More recently, in September 2025, Trump traveled to London for a second state visit, the first for any president, upon invitation from Charles. The president described the invitation and trip as "truly one of the highest honors of my life" during his toast at the white-tie dinner at Buckingham Palace.
Contributing: Reuters
Trump calls King Charles a 'great gentleman' ahead of visit
Kate Perez
Trump complimented King Charles ahead of his arrival in a five-minute phone interview with BBC reporter Sarah Smith, USA TODAY previously reported. The president said he "absolutely" believes the royal pair's visit could help repair U.S.-U.K. relations, strained amid British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's reluctance to get involved in the Iran war.
"He's fantastic," Trump said of Charles. "He's a fantastic man. Absolutely, the answer is yes."
"I know him well, I've known him for years. He's a brave man, and he's a great man," the president added. "They would absolutely be a positive."
The president has expressed similar sentiments in other interviews. Speaking with Sky News, Trump said he was excited to see Charles again and called him "a great gentleman, a friend of mine."
Report: Royal security reviewed after DC shooting
James Powel
Security for Charles and Camilla's state visit was reviewed following the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, Buckingham Palace told The Guardian on Sunday.
"As you would expect, a number of discussions will be taking place throughout the day to discuss with US colleagues and our respective teams to what degree the events of Saturday evening may or may not impact on the operational planning for the visit,” a palace spokesperson told the Guardian.
The palace spokesperson added that it was understood that "there will be some modest adjustments to one or two royal engagements during the trip," though overall plans for the four-day trip remain unchanged, according to the Guardian.
USA TODAY reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment.
Visit aims to celebrate US 250th anniversary, UK partnership
Kate Perez
The royal visit is part of the celebrations surrounding the 250th anniversary of the United States.
"Their Majesties’ programme will celebrate the historic connections and the modern bilateral relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States, marking the 250th anniversary of American Independence," according to a statement from Buckingham Palace.
House Speaker Mike Johnson announced on April 1 that Charles would address Congress during the trip, including a letter invitation to the royal describing the visit as one that celebrates "the shared heritage and enduring friendship between the United Kingdom and the United States."
"Our two nations share one of the most consequential partnerships in history, and together we will mark the historic milestone of America’s 250th year of independence," Johnson wrote in a post on X.