King Charles, Queen Camilla Conclude 4-day Visit To US Amid Trump, Starmer Feud

King Charles III and Queen Camilla were welcomed by President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump on Monday, at the White House, marking the start of a four-day state visit to the United States that ended Thursday.

The trip, held in honor of the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence from Britain, aimed to celebrate the historic and modern bilateral relationship between the two nations, though it unfolded amid strained U.S.-U.K. relations over the Iran war and political tensions involving British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

President Trump’s welcoming remarks emphasized shared heritage and Anglo-Saxon legacy. Speaking on the White House South Lawn, he said: _“American patriots today can sing, ‘My country, ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty,’ only because our colonial ancestors first sang, ‘God save the King.’”_ He praised the “cherished bond” between the nations and called Charles a “fantastic person.” Trump also referenced his mother’s Scottish roots and joked about the rainy weather being a “beautiful British day.”

King Charles, in turn, delivered a historic address to a joint session of Congress on April 28, becoming only the second British monarch—after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II in 1991—to do so. In his speech, he highlighted shared values, joked about the U.S. and U.K. having “everything in common except language,” and called for continued alliance on NATO, Ukraine, environmental protection, and democratic unity.

After arrival at Joint Base Andrews, King Charles had afternoon tea with the Trumps, and a garden party at the British Embassy attended by U.S. officials and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The White House held a ceremonial welcome on Tuesday, with a military review and flyover, then a closed-door Oval Office meeting, before the King went over to for his Congressional address, followed by a lavish state dinner where Charles joked about the 1814 burning of the White House.

The King participated in wreath-laying at the National September 11 Memorial in New York with former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Queen Camilla visited the New York Public Library with Sarah Jessica Parker and Anna Wintour, while King Charles met NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and visited Harlem Grown.

Final day included a visit to Arlington National Cemetery, a community parade in Front Royal, Virginia, and a farewell at the White House before departing for Bermuda.

The visit was seen as a diplomatic effort to strengthen the “special relationship”** despite political friction, with Charles widely praised across the U.S. political spectrum for his unifying message. Epstein-related controversies and security concerns following a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner added tension, but the trip proceeded as planned.