King Charles delivers US President Donald Trump and Catherine, Princess of Wales, attend a state banquet for US President and First Lady Melania Trump at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on the first day of their second state visit to the UK on Wednesday, September 17, 2025.
Aaron Chown | via reuters
The state visit of Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the US, which is scheduled to begin on Monday, comes at a time of heightened domestic and geopolitical tensions in Washington and London.
The visit comes just two days after Saturday’s shocking shooting at the White House correspondents’ dinner, which was attended by US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania and top US officials. Bundled up out of harm’s way by security agents A suspected shooter tried to approach the hall of the Washington Hilton Hotel, where officials and journalists were gathered.
The suspected gunman, identified as 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen, was captured by security forces and is due to be formally charged in a Washington court on Monday.
It was decided over the weekend that the royals’ four-day visit would go ahead as planned despite security concerns. Buckingham Palace said there would be some minor amendments to the programme, but did not provide further details.
“Following discussions on both sides of the Atlantic throughout the day, and acting on Government advice, we can confirm that Their Majesties’ state visit will go ahead as planned,” the Palace commented on Sunday.
It added: “The King and Queen are very grateful to all those who have acted swiftly to ensure this remains the case and they look forward to the visit starting tomorrow.”
Trump said on CBS News’ 60 Minutes on Sunday that the royals would be safe during their visit: “I think it’s great; they’ll be very safe,” the president said in the broadcast interview, adding: “The grounds of the White House are really safe.”
Upon arriving in Washington on Monday afternoon, the king and queen will be welcomed by Trump and the first lady, after which they will attend a garden party including guests representing relations between the two countries.
There will later be a formal ceremony welcoming the royals to the White House, which will include a formal military review. King Charles is expected to meet privately with the president and then address both houses of Congress, marking only the second time a British monarch has addressed a joint meeting, following Queen Elizabeth II’s speech at the Capitol during a state visit to the US in 1991. Charles and Camilla will return to the White House for a state dinner hosted by Trump and his wife.
The royals will then visit New York and Virginia to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Difficult times for ‘special relationships’
The royals have reportedly been in touch with Trump and his wife to express their sympathies following Saturday’s attack. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also commented on x Sunday said it was a “great relief” that the president and his wife were safe.
Trump said on CBS News’ 60 Minutes program that he was “not concerned” during the incident but said his wife, who appeared in footage showing the moment the presidential couple was escorted out of the room by secret agents, was clearly shocked.rather hurt“From the incident.
The visit comes at a difficult diplomatic time for the US and Britain, one of its closest and oldest allies, amid the ongoing war in Iran. The conflict has created tensions between Washington and London, with the British government refusing to be “dragged” into the war.
Trump has criticized his UK counterpart Starmer and warned that the US will not forget perceived minor insults by European allies. Reuters reported this last week America may review its position On Britain’s disputed sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.
Britain’s King Charles III (C) and US President Donald Trump (R) speak with Coldstream Guardsmen as they inspect the guard of honor during a ceremonial reception in the quadrangle at Windsor Castle in Windsor on September 17, 2025.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | getty images
The British government may be hoping that the royals’ visit could go a long way in repairing damaged relations with Trump, who is known to be a big admirer of the king. During two state visits to Britain in recent years, Trump clearly delighted in the British pageantry on its best behavior and is known as an English lover.
Buckingham Palace said in a statement earlier this month that “the visit will be an opportunity to recognize the shared history of our two countries, the breadth of economic, security and cultural ties that have developed since then, and the deep ties between our peoples that unite communities.”