King and Queen’s royal US state visit starts today: live updates

Suspected gunman, identified by authorities as Cole Allen, 31, of Torrance, California reportedly charged a security checkpoint armed with a shotgun, a handgun and several knives at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner on Saturday.

Allen was tackled by agents after a brief but terrifying exchange of gunfire in the hotel lobby.

One Secret Service agent was shot but was wearing a bulletproof vest and escaped without serious injury. As many as eight shots were fired during the incident.

Despite the quick reaction of security services, Allen had managed to come within 100 yards of President Trump as well as dozens of key officials.

Mr Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President JD Vance were hurried off the ballroom stage after the gunman exchanged fire with Secret Service agents.

Authorities said Allen, a Democrat-supporting, 31-year-old teacher had checked in as a guest at the hotel.

He is reported to have told officers he wanted to shoot officials in the Trump administration.

King Charles has vowed to persevere with his State Visit to the US today despite an apparent assassination attempt on the President.

Sources told the Daily Mail the monarch is determined to ‘keep calm and carry on’ – and that if the Government wants him to travel, ‘that’s exactly what he will do’.

On Sunday, Buckingham Palace confirmed the King and Queen Camilla wanted to ‘do their duty’ – they are expected to arrive as planned on Monday afternoon.

However, an urgent security review was under way in light of the dramatic incident in the US capital on Saturday and some ‘modest operational adjustments’ will be made to ‘a few elements’ of Their Majesties’ programme.

Thanks for joining us as we follow along live to the King’s state visit to the US.