King Charles III and Donald Trump.
Credit: AFP
The state visit of King Charles III and his wife Camilla to the United States, which is set to begin on Monday, April 27, will proceed as planned despite an armed assailant interrupting a press gala attended by Donald Trump on Saturday.
“Following discussions on both sides of the Atlantic throughout the day and on the advice of the government, we can confirm that Their Majesties’ state visit will proceed as planned,” a palace spokesperson stated on Sunday. “The king and queen are extremely grateful to all those who have worked tirelessly to make this possible, and look forward to the start of the visit tomorrow,” with a welcome at the White House by President Donald Trump and his wife Melania.
Charles “very relieved” to know the president is safe
Earlier in the day, King Charles III expressed being “very relieved to know that the president, the First Lady, and all the guests are safe” after the shots fired during the press gala in Washington, according to a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace. The monarch was said to be “fully briefed on the situation” and discussions were ongoing to determine “to what extent the events of Saturday evening may or may not have an impact on the operational planning of the visit.”
King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s state visit is scheduled from April 27 to April 30, to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence. The monarch is set to address the American Congress on Tuesday, a rare event, followed by a State Banquet at the White House. They will then travel to New York and Bermuda, a British Overseas Territory.
