King Charles III has made history. In one of the most consequential royal visits in decades, the British monarch arrived in the United States for a four-day state visit, delivered a rare address to a joint session of Congress, and was feted at a lavish White House state dinner hosted by President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. The visit marks the first-ever US state visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, taking in Washington D.C., New York City, and Virginia.
The trip coincides with the 250th anniversary of the US declaring independence. It also arrives at a diplomatically sensitive moment, amid significant strains between the UK and the US over the war in Iran, adding extra weight to every handshake, speech, and toast of the four-day tour.
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King Charles Addresses Congress: A Historic Moment
King Charles’s address to Congress is only the second time in history a British monarch has delivered a speech before a joint session — the first being his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1991.
The House chamber remained at capacity throughout the King’s remarks. He was met with bipartisan applause on multiple occasions, including when he spoke of checks and balances on executive power and when he called for peace in Ukraine. The King used moments of humor to win over the crowd, telling Congress about the British tradition of taking a member of Parliament “hostage” at Buckingham Palace until the monarch safely returns, joking that he didn’t know if there were any volunteers for the role in Congress. He also reminded the audience that American independence was declared just 250 years ago — “or, as we say in the United Kingdom, just the other day” — earning the loudest laugh of the evening.
In his address, King Charles urged cooperation between the two nations, describing the US-UK story as “one of reconciliation, renewal and remarkable partnership” that had grown from the bitter divisions of 250 years ago into one of the most consequential alliances in human history. He also quoted President Trump himself, who had previously called the bond between the two countries “priceless and eternal.” Buckingham Palace later said the King was “deeply honoured” and “greatly touched by the warmth and generosity” of the response he received.
Trump Hosts State Dinner for King Charles and Queen Camilla
President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump hosted the state dinner in the East Room of the White House, welcoming the British royals earlier in the day with a full ceremonial arrival on the South Lawn, complete with a military flyover, 21-gun salute, and inspection of troops accompanied by the US Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps. The evening carried a white-tie dress code — a rarity for the White House not seen in nearly 20 years. Melania Trump wore a pale delphinium pink silk strapless gown by Christian Dior Haute Couture, while the King and President both appeared in white-tie tuxedos.
The dinner menu carried symbolic touches from both nations. For dessert, guests were served a beehive-shaped flourless chocolate gâteau with vanilla bean crémeux custard and White House honey, a nod to the newly installed White House beehives. The décor reflected a shared appreciation for English and American gardens, with cherry blossoms, lilac, butterfly ranunculus, and lily of the valley adorning the tables under green-pleated linens.
In keeping with tradition, the King and President exchanged gifts. Trump gave the King a custom facsimile of a 1785 letter from John Adams describing his meeting with King George III as the first US ambassador to Great Britain. The King presented Trump with a framed facsimile of the 1879 design plans for the iconic Resolute Desk — originally crafted from timbers of the British ship HMS Resolute and gifted to the White House by Queen Victoria. Trump praised the King’s earlier speech to Congress, pointing at Charles and saying, “He made a great speech. I’m very jealous.”
Where Is King Charles Staying in the US?
King Charles and Queen Camilla are staying at Blair House — also known as The President’s Guest House — a grand 120-room complex comprising four connected row homes located at 1651 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington D.C., directly across the street from the White House. Built in 1824 and purchased by the US Government in 1942 for official diplomatic use, Blair House has hosted some of the world’s most influential leaders over the decades, including Queen Elizabeth II during her 2007 visit.
First Lady Melania Trump has described it as “the quiet, dignified bridge between the White House and the world.” The residence was decorated with British and American flags for the royal couple’s arrival, transforming it into a home away from home for the duration of their Washington stay. Beyond the capital, the royal itinerary extends to New York City, where Charles and Camilla will attend a ceremony at the September 11 memorial ahead of the attacks’ 25th anniversary, and then to Virginia for events linked to America’s 250th anniversary celebrations, including a community block party.
King Charles Food Habits: The Monarch’s Unique Diet
King Charles is one of the world’s most committed advocates for sustainable, organic eating — a philosophy that has shaped his personal diet for decades. He transformed the land at his Highgrove Estate into a fully organic farm more than 40 years ago and continues to farm organically at Sandringham, long before organic food entered mainstream conversation.
He describes himself as a “climatarian” — someone whose diet is structured to reduce the environmental impact of food production. He avoids meat and fish two days a week and dairy products one day a week, favouring seasonal, locally sourced, and sustainably grown produce. He has openly criticized fast food, once famously asking a nutritionist whether McDonald’s could be banned. He insists on loose-leaf organic teas sourced from his own estates, drinks his preferred Darjeeling with milk and honey, and has his breakfast eggs boiled for exactly four minutes. He avoids rich desserts such as chocolate and keeps afternoon tea modest — favouring cucumber sandwiches and a plain scone. He has also banned foie gras from royal residences due to animal welfare concerns and is known to strongly dislike food waste, having spoken publicly about the need for a more circular approach to consumption.
How Old Is Queen Camilla and King Charles?
As of April 2026, King Charles III is 77 years old, having been born on November 14, 1948. Queen Camilla is 78, born on July 17, 1947 — making her just over a year older than her husband, a detail that often surprises people. The couple first met in the early 1970s, married in April 2005, and were crowned together at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023 — the first coronation in seven decades.
Despite a complicated path to public acceptance, Queen Camilla has earned widespread respect for her charity work, including long-running campaigns on domestic violence, literacy, animal welfare, and osteoporosis awareness. During the US visit, Camilla participated in an education event alongside First Lady Melania Trump and met with representatives from Washington D.C. charities working with survivors of domestic violence. Both the King and Queen have maintained demanding royal schedules in recent years, with Charles attending over 535 royal engagements throughout the previous year — more than twice the number from the year before, despite his cancer diagnosis in early 2024.
State Dinner Guest List: Who Attended?
The White House state dinner drew an eclectic mix of power brokers, media personalities, and tech titans. From Trump’s Cabinet, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were all in attendance. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune were present, along with Republican Senators Lindsey Graham, Dave McCormick, Steve Daines, John Barrasso, and Jim Risch.
Six conservative Supreme Court justices appeared on the guest list, including Chief Justice John Roberts, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh, and Clarence Thomas — notably, the court’s three liberal justices were not invited. The tech world was well-represented, with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and Apple CEO Tim Cook among the guests. Fox News was prominently featured, with CEO Suzanne Scott alongside hosts Bret Baier, Maria Bartiromo, Ainsley Earhardt, Greg Gutfeld, Laura Ingraham, and Jesse Watters. Notably absent were Congressional Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senator Chuck Schumer.
King Charles Net Worth: How Wealthy Is the King?
King Charles III is one of Britain’s wealthiest individuals, with his fortune estimated at approximately £640 million (around $800 million USD) according to the Sunday Times Rich List, though some broader analyses place the figure closer to £1.8 billion when all asset categories are included.
His wealth flows from several streams. The Duchy of Lancaster — a private estate established in 1399 — is worth around £679 million and generates approximately £24 million per year in private income, which flows directly to the King through the Privy Purse for personal expenses, private estate maintenance, and charitable work. The Sovereign Grant, calculated as a percentage of Crown Estate profits, will reach over £132 million for the 2025/26 financial year — though these funds cover institutional costs such as staffing, official travel, and the upkeep of royal residences rather than the King’s personal bank account. A third stream — personal investments, private properties, artworks, and savings — remains undisclosed. When Charles ascended the throne in 2022, his personal net worth jumped significantly, as he inherited privately held assets from Queen Elizabeth II without paying inheritance tax, a longstanding arrangement under British law.
King Charles and Queen Camilla’s US state visit continues through April 30, with engagements in New York and Virginia before the royal couple returns to Washington D.C. for their formal farewell.
