The King and Queen had the red carpet rolled out at the White House today with full ceremonial honours.
After their high-profile, but low-key welcome to the US yesterday by President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania which involved pots of tea, dainty sandwiches and small talk, the couple’s historic – and controversial – state visit got into full swing this morning.
The American leader, who sources say was insistent that the first inwards state visit of his second presidency would be by the British Royal Family and has described the monarch as a ‘great man’, was keen to show off his country’s military history and prowess.
He formally welcomed King Charles and Queen Camilla with a military ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, the highest diplomatic honour extended by the US to a visiting head of state.
Even the pre-ceremony performance involved a huge number of musicians – more than 200 in all – including the US Marine Drum and Bugle Corps and the US Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, as well as music by the US Navy Band, the US Air Force Band, and the US Navy Sea Chanters.
After meeting the official delegations of both countries, including senior political figures, the King and Queen, alongside the President and First Lady, will proceed to a dais for a 21-gun salute and the national anthems performed by the US Marine Band.
They will also play during the inspection, before concluding with the ‘Stars and Stripes Forever’ march by John Philip Sousa.
His Majesty and the President, accompanied by the Commander of Troops, will inspect the troops on parade in a mirror ceremony of the Guard of Honour that President Trump received at Windsor Castle on his own recent state visit to the UK.
Donald Trump speaks to King Charles during the arrival ceremony on the South Lawn today
Queen Camilla, King Charles, President Donald Trump and Melania Trump at the White House
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greet King Charles III today
First Lady Melania Trump talks with Queen Camilla on the South Lawn of the White House
Donald Trump speaks to King Charles during the arrival ceremony on the South Lawn today
Queen Camilla, King Charles, President Donald Trump and Melania Trump at the White House
A notable addition to the assembled military regiments was the ‘Space Force’. It is the first White House event that has ever involved the Space Force Honor Guard Formation, the administration said.
The US Armed Forces participating in the ceremonial welcome include:
- Military Aides to the President of the United States (Army, Marine Corps, Space Force)
- White House Marine Sentries
- White House Social Aides
- The United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps
- The United States Army Herald Trumpets
- 3d United States Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), Honor Guard, United States Army
- 3d United States Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), Commander-in-Chief’s Guard, United States Army
- United States Army Presidential Salute Battery
- United States Marine Corps Honor Guard
- United States Navy Ceremonial Guard
- United States Air Force Honor Guard
- United States Space Force Honor Guard
- United States Coast Guard Ceremonial Honor Guard
President Trump is expected to make remarks after the guard inspection, bringing the ceremony to a close.
Before entering the White House, their Majesties and the President and First Lady will pause on the historic balcony of the South Portico, where they will watch a stunning ‘Pass in Review’ of nearly 500 members of the US Armed Forces from all six military branches represented at the ceremony in another historic first for state visits at the White House.
Diplomats see this as a sign of how much the President is keen that the trip is a success.
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greet King Charles III in Washington
King Charles III shakes hands with Vice President JD Vance as he greets members of the Trump administration on the South Lawn
President Donald Trump and King Charles III seated on stage during the arrival ceremony
US Vice President JD Vance, Second Lady Usha Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walk out to greet King Charles III
After the ceremonial elements of the morning, the King and President will meet for bilateral talks in the iconic Oval Office with their most senior advisors.
Although photographers will be present to capture the first moments of the meeting, there will be no reporters or television cameras present.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given some of the President’s recent showdowns at his official residence, opportunities to hear the two men talking have been kept to a minimum.
Meanwhile the Queen and the First Lady, who warmly greeted each other with kisses yesterday, will conduct a brief joint engagement together.
They will join American students for a cross-cultural educational event at the White House Tennis Pavilion, where students will be using virtual reality headsets and AI-enabled glasses to learn about American history and the UK, featuring artefacts from the White House Collection and the National Archives and Records Administration.
While there have been calls in recent weeks for the British government to call off the visit given President Trump’s aggressive foreign policy, particularly in the Middle East, and his spectacular falling out with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, ministers and diplomats are hopeful that the King’s legendary power of ‘soft diplomacy’ will help to smooth over some of the fissures.
The King has developed a genuinely warm relationship with the President, who has made no secret of his admiration for the British Royal Family.
He was left deeply impressed by the welcome he has received in the UK over the years, both at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle – so much so that he has decided to build his own White House ballroom for official entertaining.
The trip – which has been built around events to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, marking America’s separation from Great Britain – has been billed as the trickiest of His Majesty’s reign so far.
But the welcome he is receiving today suggests that his host, for one, is keen for it to go off without a hitch.
Later the King will become only the second monarch in history to address a joint session of Congress, the first being his late mother.
His message will be clear: that the US and the UK can come together, even when they disagree on the subject matter – in words likely to be welcomed by politicians on both sides of the Atlantic.
