Here's what we covered today
• King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived in the United States today, beginning their four-day state visit to mark the 250th anniversary of US independence. They met President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump at the White House for tea and then attended a garden party at the British ambassador’s residence in Washington, DC.
• The visit comes as US-UK relations are strained by the war in Iran, with Trump slamming Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s refusal to assist the US militarily. Although Charles must stay above politics, his government is hoping his US tour can help ease tensions.
• The trip is underway despite the shooting at a press gala in Washington, DC, on Saturday. The King is expected to make a brief reference to the incident during his scheduled joint address to Congress tomorrow.
Our live coverage of the first day of the British royals’ state visit has wrapped for the day. Please scroll through the posts below to learn about today’s events.
A preview of what King Charles will say in his address to Congress tomorrow
King Charles is set to reference Saturday’s shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in his address to a joint session of Congress tomorrow.
He’ll start his remarks by expressing solidarity and talk about how the US and UK stand shoulder-to-shoulder. He will say that he brings “the highest regard and friendship of the British people to the people of the United States” as the nation marks its 250th anniversary of independence.
During the speech, which is expected to last around 20 minutes, Charles will delve into the nations’ shared history, discussing how the US and UK have fought alongside each other but have also had their differences.
The address will include remarks that will be viewed as an acknowledgment of the recent tensions between the two nations, which has seen US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer publicly clash over the Iran war.
King Charles will discuss his own faith and how he believes that in the hearts of the two nations lies “a generosity of spirit and a duty to foster compassion, to promote peace, to deepen mutual understanding and to value people of all faiths and none.”
Having served in the British Navy between 1971 and 1976 and qualifying as a helicopter pilot, he will also speak of his pride of service, noting how the US-UK “defense, intelligence and security ties are measured not in years but in decades.”
The King will conclude by noting that the story of both nations over the last 250 years is one of the “reconciliation and renewal” which has given rise to “one of the greatest alliances in human history,” which he hopes will continue to protect the shared values long into the future.
King Charles’ role in US-UK relations “transcends politics,” says deputy British ambassador
King Charles’ visit to the United States underscores his desire to reinforce and stabilize strained relations between the US and the UK, according to James Roscoe, a deputy British ambassador to the US.
Despite a “rocky” beginning between the US and UK, Roscoe said, “we’ve developed into the most important relationship over these last 250 years.”
“I think what the King can do is he can draw out those things that really pull us together,” Roscoe said, referring to King Charles going to Arlington to further the US-UK’s defense relationship, visiting the 9/11 memorial to commemorate both American and British victims, and “he’ll celebrate the economic ties.”
There’s “$1.3 trillion invested between our two economies” and $340 billion a year in trade, Roscoe said. “These are the things that bind the UK and the US together.”
Ultimately, Roscoe said, the British royal is not visiting the US to discuss politics but rather to remind President Donald Trump that the countries share an “incredible history.”
This is not the first royal visit to come during US-UK disagreement, ambassador says
The relationship between the United States and United Kingdom is deep, and it’s not unusual for the monarch to meet with the US president at a time of disagreement, British Ambassador to the US Christian Turner said.
US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer have had disagreements over the United States’ war with Iran. Trump has lobbed insults at Starmer in recent weeks over his rejection to get directly involved with the conflict.
The King is walking into that turbulent landscape during his state visit this week, but there have been similar situations before, Turner said during an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper. For instance, Queen Elizabeth II traveled to Washington to talk to President Dwight D. Eisenhower about the Suez Crisis and King George VI visited President Franklin D. Roosevelt just before WWII, he said.
Still, “the King is above that and it’s exactly why it’s a moment to remind ourselves that this relationship is deep. It will endure,” he said.
As an ambassador, Turner said that while there are disagreements about Iran, there has been “a huge amount of cooperation” between the US and the UK, including British bases being used for defensive strikes in the Gulf.
English soccer star describes what it was like to meet King Charles
For soccer player Esme Morgan, who plays for the England national team, meeting King Charles for the first time was a surreal moment.
Morgan spoke to the King at the garden party being held at the British Embassy in Washington tonight, as the monarchs made their way through the crowd and mingled with guests. It is the first day of their state visit to the United States.
Comedian and impressionist Matt Friend was standing with Morgan and others when King Charles came over to their group, Morgan told CNN’s Jake Tapper. Friend did his impression of the King, to which the monarch replied with signature dry British humor, “Keep working on it,” Morgan said.
“He was so sort of relaxed and funny and engaging,” the star athelete said.
Morgan said the royal family means a lot to people in the UK, “and to be able to meet the two most important members of it was just — yeah, a real shock.”
King’s state visit is “really important” for US-UK relations, says British foreign secretary
King Charles’ trip to the United States just ahead of its 250th independence anniversary is “really important” for US-UK relations, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Monday.
The British official said that with a long, shared history and a deep relationship, there would ultimately be issues on which the two countries would disagree.
President Donald Trump has been highly critical of UK leadership, calling Prime Minister Keir Starmer a “loser” over his refusal to militarily assist the US in the war with Iran.
While Cooper said the UK did take a different view on Iran than the US, it was ultimately the responsibility of the nations’ leaders to make decisions based on the best interests of their respective countries.
She added that the King’s visit is crucial for “people-to-people links” between the US and UK, saying those kinds of relationships have consequences for shared security and the economies. “There’s two and a half million jobs that are dependent on the trade between our two countries,” Cooper said.
King and Queen mingle with garden party guests
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are mingling with guests at the garden party at the British Embassy.
The monarchs talked to House Speaker Mike Johnson first, followed by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum then Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. The Queen spoke with several representatives of domestic violence organizations.
Other notable attendees included members of US President Donald Trump’s Cabinet: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The White House deputy chief of staff for policy, Stephen Miller, was also in attendance, CNN royal correspondent Max Foster reported.
The King is moving through the different groups gathered at the party, Foster said.
King knows he has a chance to speak to American people, former diplomatic official says
King Charles’ state visit to the United States will be a chance for him to speak to Americans and the whole of the US government — not just President Donald Trump, said Philip Reeker, former Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in the United Kingdom.
The King will give an address to a joint session of Congress tomorrow, where Supreme Court justices will also be in attendance. There will be pomp and circumstance during his four-day visit, but King Charles knows this speech is an opportunity, Reeker said.
The visit comes after Trump has called UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer “a loser” and lobbied criticism at the UK leader over his refusal to assist with the US’ war with Iran. But, Reeker said that regardless of who is leading the countries, the relationship between the US and Britain is greater than one government.
The trip is also a chance for the world to see King Charles’ physical condition after the royal family announced in early 2024 that he had been diagnosed with cancer. It is “good to see the King looking well,” Reeker said.
In December 2025, the King said in a video message that he had responded well to treatment and that the regimen would be reduced this year.
“We understand that he continues to get treatments and obviously he’s got the best healthcare and we wish him very well because he’s got good genes,” he said. “His mother certainly showed that in a long, long life.”
The monarch’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II, lived to be 96.
Sandwiches, scones and cake: The afternoon tea menu at today’s garden party
Guests are being treated to a variety of British delights this afternoon at the garden party in honor of King Charles and Queen Camilla’s state visit at the British ambassador’s residence.
On the menu:
- Scottish smoked salmon, lemon and black pepper sandwiches
- Roasted British beef and horseradish sandwiches
- West Country cheddar and fig sandwiches
- Cucumber and dill sandwiches
- Aged cheddar and chive quiche
- Tomato, basil, cucumber and olive tarts
Of course, there are sweet treats on offer too, including:
- Scones with strawberries and Devonshire clotted cream
- Bakewell Tart
- Ginger Cake
- Victoria sponge
- Traditional fruit cake
- Raspberry, white chocolate and lemon cake
For beverages, guests are being offered Fortnum & Mason tea or Hambledon sparkling wine.
Royal garden party gets underway at British ambassador’s residence
We’re a few hours into the King and Queen’s state visit to the US and so far, it has been very British. They’ve had a cup of tea with the Trumps and the couple is now at a garden party.
British ambassador to the US, Christian Turner, is hosting Charles and Camilla along with about 600 guests that represent a cross-section of American society and celebrate the ties between the US and UK.
That includes people from politics, science and sustainability, to charities working to end domestic abuse, community organizations as well as creative industries from around the US.
King Charles and Queen Camilla have arrived in the US to mark the 250th anniversary of US independence. CNN's Jake Tapper explains what we can expect from this visit.
More background: Garden parties are a long-standing British tradition dating back centuries and usually take place in the warmer summer months. The first such event held at the ambassador’s house was for Charles’ grandfather King George VI in June 1939.
Before the King and Queen mingle with guests this evening, they will view a time capsule in honor of America’s 250th birthday celebrations. It will be placed under the Washington Monument on the National Mall later this year. It will be reopened when America marks its 500th anniversary of independence.
Buckingham Palace says the capsule will be twinned with another placed under the George Washington statue in London’s Trafalgar Square last summer.
Monarchs and Trumps enjoy a private tea at the White House
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are having a private tea now with King Charles and Queen Camilla.
The British monarchs just arrived in the US this afternoon for their four-day state visit. While this is more of an informal greeting, the royal couple will receive a full ceremonial welcome at the White House tomorrow morning.
Next on the agenda? A visit to the White House bees
King Charles is a keen supporter of beekeeping. Buckingham Palace is home to four beehives, which produce the honey Charles enjoys in his tea – and which his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, once gave as a gift to the late Pope Francis.
Thankfully for Charles’ hosts, President Donald Trump and Melania Trump, the White House has a new beehive of its own to parade.
Last week, the first lady – perhaps with the King’s upcoming visit in mind – unveiled the new structure, which stands in the South Lawn and is shaped like a miniature version of the White House.
The new hive will house two new bee colonies, adding to the two colonies that were installed in 2009 by Michelle Obama, the first lady at the time.
The existing hive populations reach around 70,000 bees during the summer months, the White House said, and can produce up to 225 pounds of honey each year. The new hives will boost production, the White House said.
After taking tea in the (actual) White House, Charles and Camilla will then pay a visit to the miniature one. It’s another instance of how much thought goes into diplomatic spectacles like this week’s state visit.
First lady greets the King and Queen in butter yellow suit
First lady Melania Trump is channeling spring colors today, donning a double-breasted buttercream wool crepe suit to greet King Charles and Queen Camilla at the White House.
The suit, designed by New York fashion designer Adam Lippes, was paired with Manolo Blahnik snakeskin pumps, according to a White House official. Lippes also designed her Inauguration Day outfit.
After landing in the US wearing a blush pink Dior coat dress, Queen Camilla changed into a light-colored ensemble with detailing around the collar and front pleats for the White House. Her husband and Trump both were wearing suits, with the US president sporting a blue tie.
This post was updated with additional details.
Trump and first lady greet King and Queen at the White House
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump have just greeted the King and Queen at the White House South Portico, and the two couples have gone inside for tea.
This is the first time a reigning British monarch has visited the White House since Queen Elizabeth in 2007, during the presidency of George W. Bush.
This afternoon’s schedule has been kept light: Later, the Trumps will take the royal couple for a quick visit to the White House beehives – a nod to King Charles’ long support for environmental conservation.
The King and Queen will then attend a Garden Party at the British Ambassador’s residence – a sprawling red-brick complex on Massachusetts Avenue, near the residence of the Vice President.
Charles and Camilla will receive a full ceremonial welcome at the White House tomorrow morning.
A look inside the venue for today's garden party
Ahead of a visit from King Charles and Queen Camilla this evening, CNN got a look inside the Washington residence of the British Ambassador to the US.
The royals are set to meet attendees from across the US at a garden party at the ambassador’s residence to mark the long-shared history between the United Kingdom and the United States.
Artifacts and images from previous UK state visits have been displayed at the residence, including pictures of Charles’ late mother Queen Elizabeth II during a visit in 1991, where she addressed a joint meeting of Congress.
Speaker Johnson says he's looking forward to welcoming King Charles to Congress this week
Mike Johnson, who earlier this year became the first US House Speaker to address Britain’s parliament, said he is looking forward to welcoming King Charles to address a Joint Meeting of Congress on Tuesday.
Charles’ address will be the first by a reigning British monarch since that delivered by his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, during the presidency of George H. W. Bush in 1991.
“As we celebrate 250 years of this great relationship, we look forward to welcoming His Majesty King Charles III to address a Joint Meeting of Congress this week,” Johnson wrote on X.
“Our shared heritage with Great Britain creates a deep bond between our two kindred nations, and that bond remains essential to the defense of liberty,” he added.
Liberty was the main theme of Johnson’s address to parliament in January. He called on the British people to be “great and proud and patriotic” and to help “defend the security of the Western world,” which he said would require “secure borders” and more investment in defense.
Johnson’s speech was not without its lighter moments, however. He said that touring the 1,000-year-old Windsor Castle helped “put in perspective” that the 250 years since America declared independence “is not a long span of time in the scale of human history.”
During a dinner at parliament, Johnson said one of his hosts had joked that on the table were “items of silverware older than my country.”
King Charles arrives for his first state visit to the US today. Here's what's on tap
It’s King Charles III first day of his state visit to the United States. He and Queen Camilla are expected to arrive in the DC shortly.
Here’s a look at what is on their schedule today:
- The royal couple will be welcomed to Washington by their hosts, President Trump and first lady Melania Trump. The Trumps will greet King Charles and Queen Camilla upon their arrival at the South Portico of the White House, according to an announcement from the first lady’s office over the weekend.
- The two couples will then make their way to the State Floor for a private tea in the Green Room.
- Afterward, the group will take a tour of the newly unveiled and expanded White House beehive on the South Lawn.
- Later today, they will then attend a garden party, which will bring together a cross-section of US society.
King Charles and Trump are slated to participate in much pomp and circumstance tomorrow, including a military review at the White House. The King will also give a joint address to Congress before attending a State Dinner.
CNN understands there will be minor operational adjustments to one or two engagements in response to a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Overall, the plan for the four-day visit remains as previously scheduled.
King and Queen are en route to Washington
King Charles and Queen Camilla have departed Joint Base Andrews. Their convoy is making the short drive from Maryland to Washington, DC.
Later, they will be greeted by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump and the White House.
Scenes from Charles and Camilla's arrival in the US
The British monarch and his wife are in the United States on a four-day state visit aimed at marking the 250th anniversary of independence from British rule.
Charles will also be looking to strengthen the so-called “special relationship,” which has soured in the past few months with US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer publicly clashing.
Shortly after their arrival, the royals were given posies from children of British military families based in the US. They were then greeted by diplomatic, federal and state representatives.
The royals made their way down the red carpet past an honor cordon of US military personnel. Before departing for the White House, both national anthems were performed by the United States military band.
Ambassador Monica Crowley, Chief of Protocol of the United States said the country was delighted to welcome the royal couple on the occasion of America’s 250th birthday.
King Charles and Queen Camilla have arrived in the US
King Charles and Queen Camilla have just landed at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland as their state visit to the United States gets underway.
Standing by to greet them is Ambassador Monica Crowley, the Chief of Protocol of the United States, and British Ambassador to the US Christian Turner.
