UK royal couple to visit US for 250th anniversary of independence

Their program will celebrate the historical ties and current bilateral relations between the UK and the US in honor of the 250th anniversary of American independence, according to a statement. The specific dates of this visit will be announced later, the palace said. King Charles III and Queen Camilla will then visit Bermuda, marking the monarch’s first visit to a UK overseas territory since ascending to the throne in September 2022.

“Excited to see the king”

London and Washington, linked by 250 years of history, have forged a “special relationship” characterized by very close diplomatic, military, and economic ties. During her reign, Queen Elizabeth II was received four times on state visits to the US, notably in 1976 to celebrate the bicentennial of American independence and in 1991, with a historic address to the American Congress. Donald Trump, known to be a fan of the royal family, said in mid-March at the White House that he was “excited to see the king.”

This visit by Charles III to the US, the first of his reign, comes amid the ongoing war in the Middle East, triggered on February 28 by American-Israeli strikes against Iran, with global economic consequences.

Tension with Prime Minister Keir Starmer

Since the beginning of the conflict, Donald Trump has not spared Prime Minister Keir Starmer, accusing the British leader of not sufficiently supporting his American ally. “This is not Winston Churchill we are dealing with,” he sharply commented in early March, expressing displeasure with London’s initial refusal to allow the US to use its military bases. Labour leader Keir Starmer, on the other hand, reassured that the “special relationship” with Washington was “at work.”