At a welcoming event with pomp and circumstance befitting royalty, British King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Monday afternoon greeted with a military salute and marching band.
Moments after stepping off an aircraft whose tail was decorated with the Union Jack, the monarch, wearing a navy blue suit, and queen, in a simple pink dress, descended the stairs to the tarmac and live performances of the U.S. and U.K. national anthems as the American and British flags fluttered in the wind.
The royal couple’s first state visit since Charles was coronated in 2022 comes at the invitation of President Donald Trump less than three months before the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of its independence from Britain. In a statement, the royal family described the four-day trip as a celebration of “the historic connections and the modern bilateral relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States.”
Here’s what the king and queen will be doing during their time in the United States this week.
Monday
After arriving at Joint Base Andrews, where the king and queen were greeted by U.S. Ambassador and Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley and U.K. Ambassador to the United States Christian Turner, the pair traveled to the White House and were greeted by Trump and first lady Melania Trump.
Posing for photos on the red carpet, Trump and Charles exchanged a few words in what appeared to be a friendly back-and-forth before heading inside for a private tea.
Later in the day, the four will also visit the White House beehives that were first formally established in 2009 to support the pollination of its gardens. Last week, the first lady announced a new beehive in the shape of the White House will be added to the South Lawn. The king and queen are expected to view the new beehive, according to the White House.
In the evening, the king and queen will attend a garden party with guests who represent the many historic connections between the U.S. and Britain. Held at the British ambassador’s residence, it will be the first such event since 1939, when it was held for King George VI, Charles’ maternal grandfather.
Before they meet with guests, the king and queen will view one of a pair of identical America 250 time capsules to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States. The other was placed under a statue of George Washington in London’s Trafalgar Square last June.
The White House says the royal couple will have the chance to add a Royal Mint commemorative coin to the capsule, which also includes a proclamation from the king and essays from local school children in Washington, D.C. The time capsule is to be placed under the National Mall’s Washington Monument later this year.
At the garden party, the royal couple will gather with over 600 guests representing a wide variety of interests, including politics, science and sustainability, as well as charities involved with domestic abuse and community groups, according to the White House.
Tuesday
On Tuesday, the president and Charles will have a one-on-one meeting while the first lady and queen are scheduled to attend a separate event at the White House tennis pavilion with students.
A key moment will be the king’s speech to members of the U.S. House and Senate. It’s only the second time, after Queen Elizabeth II in 1991, that a U.K. monarch has addressed a joint meeting of Congress.
The royal couple will be the guests of honor at a state dinner later that evening.
Wednesday
The royal couple will leave Washington and head to New York City for a memorial ceremony to commemorate 9/11. Charles will reportedly attend a community meeting in Harlem and meet with business leaders at Rockefeller Center while Camilla will participate in a literary engagement.
Thursday
The royal couple will attend a 250th birthday block party in Virginia, where Charles will also meet Indigenous leaders involved in nature conservation — a favorite cause of the environmentalist king.
While in Virginia, they are expected to attend a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery and to attend a horse racing event.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source baynews9.com ’
