King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s official state visit will “proceed as planned” today after the shooting at a White House dinner attended by President Donald Trump.
Security arrangements were discussed on both sides of the Atlantic in the wake of Saturday’s incident at a White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, where President Trump, the first lady, Melania Trump, and senior figures from his administration were bundled from the room by the Secret Service after shots were fired.
It is understood there will be some modest operational adjustments to one or two royal engagements during the trip, but the overall plan remains as previously outlined.
According to Buckingham Palace, the 4-day trip includes stops in Washington, D.C., New York and Virginia, and will conclude on Thursday, April 30.
The visit will include a bilateral meeting between President Trump and King Charles, during which the first lady and Queen Camilla are expected to meet separately. Charles’s address to a joint session of Congress and a state dinner at the White House are also on the itinerary.
“The visit will be an opportunity to recognize the shared history of our two nations; the breadth of the economic, security and cultural relationship that has developed since then,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
The British government is hoping the royals’ visit will help heal the rift between the longtime allies. It comes amid growing tensions between Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the U.S. and Israel’s attack on Iran in late February. Trump has frequently criticized Britain and Starmer for failing to support the offensive, while the prime minister has repeatedly said the country will not be drawn into a ”wider war.”
Despite those tensions, Trump’s support for the British royal family is unwavering. In an interview with the BBC, Trump was asked whether the king’s visit could help improve relations, and he responded: “Absolutely. He’s fantastic. He’s a fantastic man. Absolutely, the answer is yes.”
The president has not held back in criticizing other British figures. Just days before the royal visit, Trump dismissed the Duke of Sussex’s recent comments calling for the duty of American leadership to do more to end the war in Ukraine. “Prince Harry is not speaking for the U.K. That’s for sure,” Trump told reporters on Thursday. “I think I’m speaking for the U.K. more than Prince Harry, but I appreciate his advice.”
The British monarchy has twice hosted Trump during his terms in the White House. In 2019, Queen Elizabeth II hosted him, while Charles welcomed him last September.
