The arrival of King Charles in the US has been overshadowed by recent events in Washington
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Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived in the United States on Monday afternoon for a four-day visit, a visit that has already come under the spotlight after the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner and amid a dispute between close friends.
The state visit, the most historic and consequential of Charles' reign, comes on the 250th anniversary of the US declaring independence from British rule and is the first visit by a British monarch to the country in two decades.
Charles and Camilla touched down at Joint Base Andrews around 2:30 pm ET and headed to the White House for a private meeting with self-described royal fan US President Donald Trump. The week's schedule includes an address to Congress, a state dinner at the White House and a stop in New York City.
The long-planned trip has become embroiled in a political row between the two countries over the US-Israel war against Iran, which has led Trump to express anger at the British government for failing to support the attack.
Saturday's shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, in which US officials said the president and members of his administration were possible victims, also disrupted the visit.
Buckingham Palace said the trip will continue as planned following discussions between the British and American authorities to determine whether the incident will have an impact on the royal family's plans.
“The King and Queen are very grateful to all those who have worked quickly to ensure this remains the case and look forward to the visit continuing tomorrow,” a palace spokesman said on Sunday.
Praise of the king
When he arrived in Washington, the King and Queen were to have a private tea with the president, an unabashed favorite of the British royal family who often describes Charles as “a great man,” and his wife, first lady Melania Trump.
King Charles is expected to begin his tour of the United States and meet with Trump administration officials on Monday. Carolyn Harris, royal commentator and historian says US President Donald Trump enjoys the 'glamour and atmosphere' of royal visits, even amid US-UK political tensions.
The 77-year-old monarch, who is undergoing treatment for cancer, will address Congress the next day – only the second time a British monarch has done so.
The royals will then head to New York to pay tribute to those killed on September 11, 2001, ahead of the 25th anniversary. The Queen will also cover a century of children's stories featuring Winnie-the-Pooh.
The US tour ends in Virginia, where the king meets with people involved in conservation work, marking his half century of environmental campaigning.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government hopes the visit will improve the future of the two allies' “special relationship”, which is at its lowest level since the Suez Crisis in 1956.
Britain's ambassador to the US, Christian Turner, said the visit would emphasize shared history, sacrifice and common values between the two countries, adding that the approach would be very British: “Keep calm, carry on.”
Although Trump has softened his criticism of Britain in recent days over its response to the Iran war, an internal Pentagon email revealed how the US could revise its position on Britain's claim to the Falkland Islands as punishment for its lack of support, further strengthening ties.
One issue that comes off the table during the visit is the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Royal sources said it was unlikely the royal couple would meet any of Epstein's victims during the trip, as some had requested, to avoid prejudicing any criminal charges.
Charles' brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, whose reputation and royal image have been damaged by his links to the late American sex offender, is currently facing police inquiries about the links. The former Prince Andrew has denied wrongdoing.
