President Trump and Melania Trump welcomed King Charles III and Queen Camilla with handshakes and a kiss on the cheek, a warm start to a visit designed to settle diplomatic tensions between the transatlantic allies.
The two couples exchanged handshakes upon the royal arrival — while Melania Trump kissed the queen’s cheek before bowing to King Charles.
REUTERS
With the charm offensive in full force, the foursome adjourned to the Green Room in the White House for a traditional English afternoon tea — complete with tiny sandwiches, mini-cakes and loose-leaf tea poured through a strainer.
The Trumps also showed off Melania’s new beehive and the president was seen pointing to the construction on his ballroom.
After departing the White House, the King and Queen attended a massive garden party at the British ambassador’s residence.
Charles and Camilla – drinks in hand – were spotted rubbing elbows with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, White House deputy chiefs of staff Stephen Miller and James Blair and CNN host Kaitlin Collins.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), also mingled with the royals and both said they will be well-received by congressional lawmakers on Tuesday.
The royal couple is embarking on a four-day state visit to America, the highlights of which include the king’s address to a joint meeting of Congress on Tuesday followed by a White House state dinner.
Charles and Camilla are also due to visit the 9/11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan Wednesday.
But the 77-year-old monarch is under pressure to do some building of his own — rebuilding bridges between the two countries as part of his mission to smooth over relations between Trump and the British government.
The president has been vocal in his criticism of beleaguered British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, accusing him of not doing enough to help with the Iran war and slamming him for not allowing oil drilling in the North Sea.
Starmer has been on his own charm offensive, calling Trump on Sunday after Saturday night’s shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
“He expressed his relief that the President and First Lady were safe and wished a speedy recovery to the officer injured,” 10 Downing Street said in a readout of the PM’s conversation.
But the king is the biggest weapon in London’s charm offensive.
Trump is an avowed royalist. The king and queen’s visit — in honor of the 250th anniversary of American independence from England — is the first state visit of Trump’s second term.
The visit was off to a smooth start with the landing at Joint Base Andrews, where children from British military families based in the US offered posies to the royals. A US military honor guard lined the red carpet. The band played both “God Save the King” and “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Queen Camilla donned a new outfit for the occasion – a pink Dior coat dress – and a piece of jewelry with strong ties to New York.