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• Farewell to the royals: King Charles has left the United States after a four-day state visit with Queen Camilla. On their last day, the royal couple got a formal farewell from President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump at the White House, laid a wreath at the Arlington Cemetery and attended a block party in Virginia.
• NYC trip recap: In New York City yesterday, Charles and Camilla visited the 9/11 memorial. Charles also stopped by an urban farm in Harlem and a US-UK trade and business event, while the Camilla spoke at a literary gathering.
• US-UK tensions: Trump said yesterday his warm relationship with the King, solidified during the state visit this week, could help mend rocky ties with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The president’s comments come after Charles’ address to Congress, where he pushed back on several issues that Trump has sparred over with Britain in recent months.
Trump says US is removing some tariffs on Scottish whisky
President Donald Trump announced today that he is set to remove tariffs that the US had imposed on some Scottish whisky.
The move comes following the state visit from King Charles and Queen Camilla this week.
Not long after posting, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, “I just took all the restrictions off,” which he said was “in honor of the king and queen.”
Buckingham Palace responded in a statement issued shortly after, calling it a “warm gesture.”
“[The King] sends his sincere gratitude for a decision that will make an important difference to the British whisky industry and the livelihoods it supports,” the statement said, adding that King Charles “will be raising a dram to the President’s thoughtfulness and generous hospitality.”
Some context: Scottish whisky currently faces 10% tariffs, the same rate most goods from the European Union are subject to. American bourbon makers could benefit from more Scottish whisky imports since they can reuse the wooden casks, Trump said.
The removal of the tariff “would be a major victory for American hospitality businesses that are deeply impacted by international trade,” said Chris Swonger, president and CEO of Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, a national trade association representing producers and marketers of distilled spirits sold in the US.
“This action strengthens transatlantic ties, brings much‑needed certainty to our industry and allows spirits producers on both sides of the Atlantic to grow, invest and support jobs at a critical time,” Swonger added in a statement.
This post has been updated with additional details.
Our live coverage of King Charles and Queen Camilla’s state visit has ended. See photos of their four-day trip here.
Until next time: King Charles has left the US
King Charles has now departed from the United States, with his plane taking off from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
He spent four days in the US with a jam-packed itinerary: He met President Donald Trump, attended a state dinner, visited New York and met with a slate of business and cultural figures.
Trump said yesterday his warm relationship with the King, solidified during the state visit this week, could help mend rocky ties with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
King Charles "was very personable," Front Royal resident says after meeting the monarch
The arrival of King Charles and Queen Camilla at the block party in Front Royal, Virginia was a big moment for Sean Mennard, a resident and official of Front Royal. He told CNN he found the monarch to be “very personable.”
King Charles is visiting a national park known for its waterfalls and wildlife
King Charles, known for his love for the nature, is now visiting Shenandoah National Park.
Located some 75 miles from Washington, DC, in Virginia’s northern Blue Ridge Mountains, the park spans some 200,000 acres of protected lands that are home to deer, songbirds, beavers, black bears and other wildlife.
A large part of the park is designated as wilderness area, and the park is known for its stunning waterfalls and mountain views. Parts of the world-famous Appalachian Trail run across the park.
King Charles and Queen Camilla have left the block party
King Charles and Queen Camilla have departed from the block party in Front Royal, Virginia.
They spent about 30 minutes interacting with community members at the event hosted by America250, an organization coordinating the commemoration of America’s 250th birthday.
The party included a parade down Main Street, featuring a marching band and classic British and American cars. There was a “Potluck” initiative organized for the community to share a meal, mirroring The Big Lunch held in the UK, which Camilla is a patron of.
The royals also met local food and drink producers, first responders, police and volunteers from the Phoenix Project, which is Front Royal and Warren County’s community response to domestic and sexual violence.
The scene as King Charles and Queen Camilla drive into Front Royal
King Charles and Queen Camilla have just arrived in Front Royal, Virginia, where they’re due to attend a block party hosted by America250, an organization coordinating the commemoration of America’s 250th birthday.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger greeted the British royals upon arrival.
People had started lining up for the party early this morning, and the crowds cheered as the motorcade it drove into the small Virginia town.
The royals will be stopping by a Virginia town with a name fit for a king
The venue for King Charles and Queen Camilla’s block party is an aptly named small town in Virginia.
The royals will be stopping by Front Royal later today. While the town’s name certainly has an air of nobility, its origins are up for debate.
Front Royal’s own tourism department declares, “No one is exactly sure where this name came from.” But that hasn’t stopped residents from speculating on possible origins.
The National Park Service has given merit to that theory, saying it’s possible the name is “derived from the French ‘le front royal,’ referring to the frontier of British (hence, royal) territory.”
Regardless of how Front Royal got its regal-sounding name, locals lining up to attend today’s party said they are glad to see their small town get some attention from the monarch.
One local, Ahier, said he watched Charles’ speech to Congress and was impressed with his sense of humor.
“He’s really funny. He’s a good guy — you know, for a king,” Ahier said.
CNN’s Max Foster and Nicky Robertson contributed reporting to this post.
Royals take a moment at Canadian Cross of Sacrifice
The King and Queen, during their tour of Arlington National Cemetery, stopped to view the Canadian Cross of Sacrifice.
The monument, designed by British architect Reginald Blomfield, features a bronze sword adorning a 24-foot gray granite cross.
It is in memory of the US citizens who volunteered for the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) and lost their lives in World War I.
The couple were also given a tour of the exhibition at Arlington’s display room by executive director Karen Durham-Aguilera and senior historian Allison Finkelstein.
Gun fire salute as King and Queen pay their respects
King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived at the 639-acre site of Arlington National Cemetery as a 21-gun salute fired.
National anthems of both the UK and US were played before the pair approached the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
They were accompanied by US Army Maj. Gen Antoinette Gant and Monica Crowley, chief of protocol of the US.
The King laid a wreath in remembrance, while the Queen laid a posy.
Four muffled ruffles and Taps were played by a military band before there was a moment of silence.
Charles and Camilla at Arlington after White House
After departing the White House, King Charles and Queen Camilla have made their way to Arlington National Cemetery.
It is one of the United States’ most significant sites of military remembrance and contains the remains of more than 400,000 people from the United States and 13 other countries, buried there since the 1860s.
The royal couple will lay a wreath and posy at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider to commemorate the fallen and in honor of the UK-US military partnership.
"The greatest king!" Trump declares as he bids farewell to royals
“The greatest king!” President Donald Trump proclaimed today as he greeted King Charles III for a final time before saying farewell after a multi-day state visit.
The two men, along with Queen Camilla and first lady Melania Trump, were participating in yet another photo op at the South Portico before the royals head to Virginia for a series of events.
Trump has taken enormous pride in hosting Britain’s monarch, upon whom he’s heaped praise repeatedly this week.
As they stood for cameras in the sun, the first lady and the queen exchanged two cheek kisses as Trump was gesturing with his hands while chatting with the king.
“He’s a great king,” Trump said. “The greatest king, in my book.”
The king demurred when questioned about improvements Trump has made to Washington, DC.
“We’ll talk later,” the president said before the group walked into the Diplomatic Reception Room to say their farewells.
They emerged a few minutes later to chat a moment before the king and queen climbed into their car.
“Enjoy Virginia!” someone called out.
“Thank you,” Queen Camilla responded, rolling down her window to wave as the black BMW rolled away.
“Great people,” Trump declared before walking back inside. “We need more people like that in our country.”
Trumps say goodbye to royals
It’s the final day of King Charles and Queen Camilla’s visit to the United States. The royal couple are returning to the White House to say their goodbyes to US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump.
The group are meeting in the Diplomatic Reception room of the executive residence in the American capital.
People are starting to line up for a block party with the royals
King Charles and Queen Camilla are expected to make an appearance at a block party in Front Royal, Virginia, later today — and long lines are already forming to get in.
The event will be hosted by America250, an organization coordinating the commemoration of America’s 250th birthday. Check out more from the scene:
Here's how New Yorkers are reacting to King Charles' state visit this week
As King Charles and Queen Camilla made their way through the streets of New York yesterday on the third day of their state visit, people traveling in the city experienced more than the usual city traffic. Still, for some city residents, it was “kind of fun.”
Here’s how New Yorkers are reacting:
King Charles is in town and CNN asks New Yorkers what they think about his visit.
In pictures: Charles and Camilla's first visit to the 9/11 memorial
After a jam-packed start to their state visit, King Charles and Queen Camilla’s itinerary shifted yesterday to connecting with the American people.
The events on their agenda for their third day in the United States focused on the strong economic and cultural ties between Brits and Americans.
The first on their list was visiting the 9/11 memorial in Lower Manhattan in recognition of the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. At the memorial, the couple laid a bouquet on the edge of one of the memorial’s pools in memory of the victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks, as well as those killed in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
See a photo of the bouquet below:
After their visit to the memorial, Charles and Camilla were introduced to the families of victims of the 2001 terror attacks and some of the first responders involved in the response efforts.
Then, they met with representatives of organizations supporting families of the victims of 9/11.
A number of New York’s elected officials were present for the royal visit to Ground Zero, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
King Charles is set to attend a block party and a nature event today
King Charles III is wrapping up his state visit to the United States, but he won’t head out without a few more celebrations.
He and the queen will be in Virginia today and have a host of events on their itinerary.
Here’s what’s going on:
- King Charles and Queen Camilla will formally say goodbye to US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump at the White House. They’re also expected to take a group photo.
- They will stop by a block party for America250, an organization coordinating the commemoration of America’s 250th birthday.
- King Charles will go to a nature event and Queen Camilla will attend a horseracing event.
- After all those stops, the monarchs will head to the airport.
Recapping King Charles and Queen Camilla's third day in the US
During King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s busy day in New York — and the third day of their state visit to the United States — the royals went to the 9/11 memorial in New York City before they attended several other engagements.
Here’s what they were up to on Wednesday:
- 9/11 memorial: The King and Queen went to the 9/11 memorial in Lower Manhattan in recognition of the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. “We honour the memory of those who tragically lost their lives on 11th September 2001,” the royals wrote on a note card attached to a bouquet of white flowers. “We stand in enduring solidarity with the American people in the face of profound loss.” The bouquet was laid on the edge of one of the memorial’s pools, and they then greeted a group of families of 9/11 victims and first responders.
- Somber moments: A uniformed officer appeared to present a small memento to the Queen, according to a pool report. During another interaction, a woman held up a photo of her late brother as she spoke to the royals. Pool reporters said the woman gave Camilla a hug after seeming to ask her for permission.
- Urban farming: The next official stop for Charles was in Harlem, where he visited Harlem Grown, a community organization that helps kids and hosts agricultural and educational programs. The King watched some children plant lavender and joined in feeding chickens at the coop.
- Books and Winnie-the-Pooh: Meantime, Camilla went to a literary event at the New York Public Library. She toured a selection of materials from the America250 collection and read to children before giving a short speech. The Queen also gifted the institution a new Roo doll to complete the collection of toys that inspired A.A. Milne’s “Winnie-the-Pooh” stories.
- Trade event: For Charles’ third engagement of the day, he went to a UK trade and business event at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. He mingled with investors from various American financial services and capital funds.
- King’s Trust: Finally, the King and Queen attended a UK-US cultural reception for King’s Trust before heading back to Washington, DC.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who also met Charles yesterday, has said he would like to ask the King to return the controversial 105.6 carat Koh-i-Noor diamond.
CNN’s Max Foster explains the significance of this diamond and why the owner of it is in dispute:
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani says he would ask King Charles to return the controversial 105.6 carat Koh-i-Noor diamond. CNN's Max Foster explains the significance of this diamond and why the owner of it is in dispute.
CNN’s Lauren Said-Moorhouse, Maureen Chowdhury, Ivana Kottasová and Aditi Sangal contributed reporting to this post.
The royals' visit to 9/11 memorial echoed continued legacy of solitary with US
On the third day of his state visit to the United States, King Charles III began his day by commemorating victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks in New York.
The terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center killed nearly 2,800 people — 67 of whom were British.
The 9/11 attacks rattled world leaders, including the monarch at the time, Queen Elizabeth II. She sent a message of condolence to President George W. Bush expressing her “disbelief and total shock,” CNN reported in 2001.
Queen Elizabeth visited the site of the World Trade Center in 2010.
During that trip, she officially opened what is now named the Queen Elizabeth II September 11th Garden, according to its website. The space in lower Manhattan honors the memory of the British citizens who died, according to NYC Parks.
Now, nearly 25 years later, the King is still communicating a message of allyship between the US and UK. In his speech to a joint session of Congress earlier this week, King Charles praised NATO and the role the defense alliance has played in protecting its citizens and interests. He specifically mentioned 9/11 being the first time NATO invoked its Article 5, which says an attack on any one of the alliance’s members is an attack on all.
CNN’s Ivana Kottasová contributed reporting to this post.
