Full story
Tea, arrivals, and protocol
King Charles III and Queen Camilla began their four-day state visit to the United States by meeting President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump at the White House for afternoon tea after landing in the country on Monday, April 27.
“The trip will start in Washington D”
El Mundo described the first meeting as already having taken place, with the royal couple “practically headed straight for the White House as soon as they landed in the United States,” and said the official visit “does not begin until Tuesday.”
The meeting started with the Trumps welcoming the British sovereigns “with great warmth at the famous South Portico of the White House,” where they “posed for a first photograph,” and El Mundo said Charles III and Trump exchanged “friendly comments” before going inside.
CNN likewise said the royals met Trump and Melania “at the White House for tea and then attended a garden party at the British ambassador’s residence in Washington, DC.”
Multiple outlets tied the visit to the 250th anniversary of American independence, with El Mundo saying it marked “the 250th anniversary of the United States' independence,” and USA TODAY describing it as “a celebration of America's 250th anniversary.”
The arrivals were staged with heavy security and formal welcome elements: El Mundo said the royals landed at “Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, outside Washington,” and Fox News described their greeting on the South Portico as the motorcade arrived and Trump and Melania stepped outside to welcome them.
After tea, El Mundo said the Trumps showed the monarchs private areas of the White House, including “the beehive that the U.S. First Lady has installed in the South Garden of the residence,” while ABC News said the royals were shown the White House beehive by Trump and Melania during their Monday visit.
The day’s program also included a garden party at the British ambassador’s residence, with CNN saying they attended one and ABC News adding that the embassy’s garden party would include “650 guests” and “nearly 3,000 tea sandwiches.”
Iran tension and the visit’s timing
The state visit’s opening day was framed by strained US-UK relations tied to the war in Iran and by the timing of the trip after a shooting incident at a press event in Washington.
El Mundo said the visit occurred “at a time of tension between Donald Trump's government and Keir Starmer's administration over London's lack of support in the war against Iran,” and it added that the “official visit does not begin until Tuesday” even as the Trumps hosted an informal tea.
CNN similarly said the visit comes “as US-UK relations are strained by the war in Iran,” adding that Trump “slamm[ed] Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s refusal to assist the US militarily.”
USA TODAY described tensions rising “in recent months between the United States and the United Kingdom governments over a slew of topics,” including “the United States' joint war in Iran” and “ongoing disagreements over the NATO military alliance.”
The New York Times reported that the shooting at the White House correspondents’ dinner “has cast a shadow over the visit,” and it said “for a moment over the weekend, it was unclear if King Charles would travel to Washington at all,” before he “reassessed and ultimately committed to his plans for a four-day visit to Washington, New York and Virginia.”
BBC said security was “extremely tight after shots were fired at the White House Correspondents' Dinner which the president attended on Saturday evening,” and it described the king’s speech as expected to address the incident.
El Mundo and El Mundo America both connected the visit to the Saturday assassination attempt against Trump, with El Mundo saying the trip “will inevitably be marked by the Saturday assassination attempt against Trump,” and El Mundo America adding that it was “overshadowed by the assassination attempt on Trump on Saturday.”
People said the trip continued after “a shooting happened at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, April 25,” and it said a Buckingham Palace spokesperson confirmed the diplomatic trip would continue as planned.
Statements, speeches, and unity
As the visit moved from Monday’s tea and garden party into Tuesday’s formal events, outlets described what King Charles was expected to say and how US and UK officials framed the decision to proceed.
“Washington — King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived in the U”
BBC said the king “will address the US Congress on Tuesday and is expected to express sympathy over the shooting incident in Washington DC over the weekend,” and it added that his speech was expected to say that “in times of great international challenges, it is more necessary than ever to stand together to defend democratic values.”
BBC also quoted a line it said the king would deliver, saying that despite disagreements, “time and again, our two countries have always found ways to come together.”
CNN described the speech as expected to last “around 20 minutes” and said Charles would start by expressing solidarity and saying 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.
CNN also said the king would discuss faith and include the phrase “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.”
USA TODAY reported that Buckingham Palace announced Sunday that the visit would proceed as planned, quoting a Buckingham Palace spokesperson: “Following discussions on both sides of the Atlantic through the day, and acting on advice of government, we can confirm the state visit by their majesties will proceed as planned.”
The New York Times described a White House press secretary admonishing Trump’s “enemies” and said Karoline Leavitt took the podium to admonish them for creating “left-wing cult of hatred against the president,” while also quoting her line: “Hopefully people will believe the truth rather than the lies,”
El Mundo said Trump told reporters on Sunday that “The king will come. He's a great guy and we look forward to him,” and it added Trump’s statement that “We are going to have a wonderful time.”
Garden party scale and guest list
Monday’s social and diplomatic events included a garden party at the British ambassador’s residence in Washington, with outlets describing both the scale of preparation and the kinds of attendees present.
ABC News said the embassy’s head chef said the team was preparing “nearly 3,000 tea sandwiches” for the party and that the garden party “will include 650 guests” who would “snack on four types of tea sandwiches as well as scones and desserts.”
Fox News reported that the garden party was hosted by British Ambassador to the U.S. Christian Turner and said it brought together “roughly 600 guests from across American and British society.”
Fox News also described the event’s guest list, naming House Speaker Mike Johnson, White House aide Stephen Miller, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Rep. Nancy Pelosi among those spotted at the reception.
BBC added details about the embassy garden party’s participants, saying “Among the guests at the embassy garden party were women representing groups campaigning against domestic violence and violence against women and girls,” and it named Sandra Jackson, chief executive of the House of Ruth, as meeting Queen Camilla.
BBC quoted Sandra Jackson’s line to the Queen: “Itâs very important to have such advocates and itâs a cause very close to her heart,” and it also said Jackson told the Queen about her work.
BBC also quoted another campaigner, Michelle DeLaune, saying it was “a sign of progress that such a prominent figure was talking publicly about the issue and raising its significance.”
BBC said calls for the King and Queen to meet survivors of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein “hasnât happened because of concerns about jeopardising the legal processes,” and it quoted Jackson saying she “respected their decision.”
Security, symbolism, and the beehive
The Monday program also carried symbolic and security-related details, including the White House beehive display and the way the visit was conducted under heightened concern after the weekend shooting.
“• 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”
El Mundo said after tea the Trumps showed the monarchs “the beehive that the U.S. First Lady has installed in the South Garden of the residence,” while ABC News described videos shared by a top White House aide showing the president and first lady and the king and queen inspecting “a new White House-shaped beehive that is part of an expansion announced by the first lady last week.”
ABC News also said “Two other beehives have been on the south grounds of the White House since 2009, according to The Associated Press.”
The New York Times described the physical setting of the White House during the arrival, saying Trump “pointed to a large hole where the East Wing used to be before taking his guests inside for tea and a private audience with theWhite House beehive.”
Multiple outlets tied the visit’s security posture to the weekend incident: BBC said “Security is extremely tight after shots were fired at the White House Correspondents' Dinner which the president attended on Saturday evening,” and CNN said the trip is “under the shadow” of the weekend shooting.
El Mundo said the Correspondents’ Dinner incident forced security reinforcement around the British monarchs’ state visit, and it stated that Trump wanted to make clear “nothing would change the plans.”
USA TODAY and People both referenced the decision to proceed after the shooting, with USA TODAY quoting Buckingham Palace’s confirmation and People saying the King and Queen privately contacted the Trumps after the incident.
Symbolism extended beyond the beehive to the painting connected to the assassination attempt: USA TODAY said a painting depicting the 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania was installed in April 2025 and that it replaced a portrait of former President Barack Obama.
