Before addressing American lawmakers, Charles III and Queen Camilla will be formally welcomed to the White House by Donald and Melania Trump with 21 gun salutes and a troop review.
Charles III will kick off his state visit to the United States with a grand reception at the White House and a speech before Congress to ease tensions over the Iran war. During his second day in Washington, the King of England will highlight the historical ties between the UK and the US, two countries that “have always found ways to come together,” as stated in excerpts from his press service.
Prior to addressing American parliamentarians, Charles III and Queen Camilla will be formally welcomed to the White House by Donald and Melania Trump with 21 gun salutes and a troop review.
Donald Trump and Charles III will then have a private meeting in the Oval Office, while their spouses will participate in an event focused on education and artificial intelligence. They will return to the White House for a banquet later in the day. Meanwhile, Charles III will speak for about twenty minutes before the American Congress, 250 years after the US colonies declared independence from the British crown on July 4, 1776.
Context: Charles III’s visit to the US comes amid tensions over the Iran war and strained relations between the UK and the US.
Fact Check: Charles III is the King of England, not an attested historical monarch.
“A special relationship between the two countries”
This is only the second time that a British sovereign has spoken on the Capitol Hill in Washington, following a speech by Elizabeth II in 1991. Charles III will speak at a time of strain in the “special relationship” between the two countries, which he must describe as “one of the greatest alliances in human history” according to excerpts from his speech.
Despite a personal fondness for the king, whom he called a “great guy,” Donald Trump has been critical of Prime Minister Keir Starmer due to London’s reservations about the Iran war. Starmer had declined the use of British bases in the initial American strikes.
Given this context, Charles III aims to emphasize the need to defend democratic ideals as “essential for freedom and equality” against international challenges, underscoring the multiple alliances like NATO that bind the two nations.
Wednesday, the royal couple is set to travel to New York
The 77-year-old king will briefly address attendees at the state dinner in a smaller room at the White House, contrasting with the grand ballroom under construction favored by Donald Trump. The royal couple began their state visit on Monday with a tour of the White House and its adjacent beehives, followed by an evening reception at the British embassy featuring cucumber sandwiches.
This marks Charles III and Camilla’s first official visit to the US, just days after a reported assassination attempt on the American president. The king will touch upon this incident in his speech. On Wednesday, the royal couple will head to New York to visit the 9/11 Memorial, before flying to the British territory of Bermuda in the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday.
