WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� will embrace some of Washington鈥檚 most formal ceremonial trappings as he between the United Kingdom and the United States that is so strong it can withstand the political turmoil of the moment.
The visit comes at a challenging moment for U.S.-UK relations. U.S. President Donald Trump鈥檚 up-and-down relationship with Prime Minister has taken a particularly sour turn over the past several months as the president has sought to rally international support for the war in Iran.
The king, accompanied by , began his day with a meeting at the White House with President Donald Trump. The King then addressed the , the body鈥檚 first address from a British monarch since 鈥檚 in 1991. The day will end with an expectedly buzzy dinner at the White House.
Here’s the latest:
King Charles met with tech leaders earlier in the day at Blair House
The monarch met with Apple CEO Tim Cook, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, Advanced Micro Devices CEO Lisa Su and NVIDIA President and CEO Jensen Huang on Tuesday afternoon. The tech leaders are expected to be guests at the dinner.
Benioff, Su, Cook and Huang were all at a White House formal dinner last November honoring the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman.
Trump confesses he was 鈥榡ealous鈥� about the king鈥檚 speech
As the royals arrived for the state dinner, the president revealed he enjoyed Charles鈥� speech to Congress.
鈥淗e made a great speech. I was very jealous,鈥� Trump said about Charles during a photo op outside the White House.
Both first lady and queen embrace shades of pink
First lady Melania Trump donned head-to-toe Christian Dior, in a pale delphinium pink silk strapless gown from the designer鈥檚 haute couture collection, with off-white suede gloves and pale delphinium silk pumps.
Britain鈥檚 Queen Camilla wore a deep pink Fiona Clare evening gown with the family jewels 鈥� an amethyst and diamond necklace gifted by a former Duchess of Kent to Queen Victoria.
Dessert includes beehive-shaped confectionary
State dinner guests will be served a four course meal, which includes a velout茅 sauce with crisp toasted shallots, spring herbed ravioli made with herbs from the White House kitchen garden, and a classic dover sole meuni猫re, which is a seared fish.
For dessert, guests will be served a beehive-shaped chocolate confectionary with cr猫me fra卯che ice cream and honey from the White House beehive. The dessert is a nod to the king and queen, who are avid supporters of beekeeping.
King Charles III urges 鈥榰nyielding resolve鈥� in defense of Ukraine, heralds NATO
The monarch reminded the audience that the only time that the NATO military alliance鈥檚 collective defense has been invoked was after the the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.
鈥淭oday, Mr. Speaker, that same, unyielding resolve is needed for the defense of Ukraine and her most courageous people. It is needed in order to secure a truly just and lasting peace,鈥� King Charles III told the lawmakers and other dignitaries in the chamber.
The reminder seemed a subtle defense of the transatlantic military alliance that Trump has soured on and repeatedly threatened to pull the U.S. out of.
鈥淲e do not embark on these remarkable endeavors together out of sentiment,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e do so because they build greater shared resilience for the future, so making our citizens safer for generations to come.鈥�
King Charles III says US-UK alliance 鈥榗annot rest on past achievements鈥�
The call on the allies to continue work on their alliance comes as differences over the Iran war tests the relationship, perhaps the lowest point in the so-called 鈥渟pecial relationship鈥� since the 1956 Suez Crisis, when the U.S. opposed Britain鈥檚 attempt to seize the Suez Canal.
Charles then went on to quote British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who Trump has sharply criticized for Britain鈥檚 refusal to provide greater support to the U.S. and Israel in its war against Iran.
鈥淎s my Prime Minister said last month: 鈥檕urs is an indispensable partnership. We must not disregard everything that has sustained us for the last 80 years. Instead, we must build on it,鈥� Charles added.
King Charles III decries 鈥榓cts of violence鈥� after White House Correspondents鈥� Dinner incident
Charles nodded to what law enforcement authorities say was an attempt to assassinate Trump over the weekend when he attended a dinner with members of the White House press corps.
鈥淲e meet, too, in the aftermath of the incident not far from this great building that sought to harm the leadership of your Nation and to foment wider fear and discord,鈥� he said. 鈥淟et me say with unshakeable resolve: such acts of violence will never succeed.鈥�
Trump was on stage at the head table at Saturday鈥檚 dinner when Secret Service personnel apprehended a man armed with a gun after he broke through a security checkpoint.
Selfies with the King
King Charles III received an extended standing ovation from members of Congress when he walked into the House chamber, with many lawmakers filming his entrance on their phones or taking selfies.
It鈥檚 an unusual display of unity in the chamber 鈥� very different from the annual State of the Union, when half of the room is usually clapping and the other sitting down.
King Charles speaks of 鈥榠nterlinked鈥� destinies of US and UK
acknowledged 鈥渢imes of great uncertainty鈥� as he expressed gratitude to the American people and marked the 250th anniversary of independence from Britain in a speech to the that highlighted the bonds between the two countries at a time of political turmoil.
鈥淔or all that time,鈥� Charles said, 鈥渙ur destinies have been interlinked.鈥�
Charles is only the second British monarch to address a joint session of Congress. His mother, , delivered a similar speech in 1991 highlighting the historic ties between both countries and the importance of their democratic values.
All the King鈥檚 escorts…
King Charles III will be accompanied by an 鈥渆scort committee鈥� of lawmakers when he enters the chamber to address Congress. That includes leadership from both parties and other members chosen for the occasion.
Also in attendance at the speech are members of President Donald Trump鈥檚 Cabinet, military leaders, select ambassadors and former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.
Members of the House and Senate gathering ahead of King Charles III鈥檚 address
As is customary for any joint address, the Senate walked across the Capitol and filed into the House chamber together, taking seats in the front of the room.
Military leaders were also in attendance, sitting near the rostrum where the king will speak. Lawmakers mingled across the aisle as they prepared to greet the king, a rare bipartisan moment amid the usual tensions in the Capitol.
King Charles III has arrived in the US Capitol and is meeting with congressional leaders
House Speaker Mike Johnson walked through the Capitol with the king and escorted him to a reception room just outside the House chamber where he will address a joint session of Congress at 3 p.m.
The two then met with other congressional leaders, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
Johnson engaged in friendly conversation with the king at the beginning of the meeting, where he appeared to be explaining something to him.
Trump returns to his hospitality sector roots with King Charles III鈥檚 visit
With a background in casinos, hotels and golf clubs, Trump seemed to enjoy hosting King Charles III at the White House.
The president often reverts to his hospitality sector roots when VIPs visit, whether they鈥檙e championship sports teams, business titans or foreign leaders that merit some pomp.
Trump guided the British monarch along the White House South Lawn to inspect the honor guard formations. His speech was all charm, as he called the king 鈥渧ery elegant.鈥� And in what was supposed to be a private moment, Trump and his wife, Melania, escorted the king and Queen Camilla to an awaiting BMW just outside the Oval Office.
The queen showed her appreciation by politely waving her hand before the sedan departed, with Trump giving his signature thumbs up as it moved along. Construction of the White House ballroom continued during the visit, a sign of Trump鈥檚 ambitions as a host going forward.
In UK, coverage of Charles鈥� visit overshadowed by headlines on Starmer political storm
While King Charles visits the White House, back in the U.K. the news headlines are dominated by the continuing fallout over Prime Minister Keir Starmer鈥檚 decision to appoint the scandal-tainted politician Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington.
British lawmakers are debating Tuesday whether Starmer should face a parliamentary probe on whether the right procedures were followed in the appointment of Mandelson, a friend of Jeffrey Epstein.
Starmer fired Mandelson in September, but the relentless questions over his judgment has left the prime minister fighting for his job.
Spruced up tennis pavilion takes center court during royal visit
The first lady took on the project of during Trump鈥檚 first term, building a pavilion inspired by the East and West Wings to replace a smaller structure.
Planning for the project — which was paid for by private donations — began in early 2018, followed by approval in June 2019 by the Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission.
Trump hosts King for brief Oval Office meeting
Trump said the meeting with Charles was 鈥渞eally good鈥� and said the king is a 鈥渇antastic person.鈥�
The president has made a habit during his second term of turning Oval Office meetings with foreign officials into freewheeling events full of criticism about how leaders are managing their national affairs.
But Tuesday鈥檚 Oval Office meeting was held largely out of public view, reducing the potential of such an exchange with the king.
Epstein survivors speak at Capitol ahead of King鈥檚 visit
Several survivors of sexual abuse from Jeffrey Epstein spoke at the Capitol ahead of an address from King Charles III on Tuesday afternoon.
They called for further legislation to protect victims of sex trafficking and a deeper acknowledgement from those in power.
Sky Roberts, the brother of the late Virginia Giuffre who was a prominent abuse survivor, said that survivors are 鈥渟till fighting to be heard, still pushing for real accountability, while many of the powerful connected to these systems remain just out of reach, unable to acknowledge survivors face to face.鈥�
First lady and Camilla talk to students about history 鈥� and AI
The queen and the first lady joined students at the tennis pavilion of the White House. The students looked at a World War II map, a portrait of President John Adams, and a letter from Queen Elizabeth II to President Dwight Eisenhower with AI-enabled glasses and headsets — an exercise the first lady鈥檚 office said explored the history of the bilateral relationship.
Melania Trump has made artificial intelligence part of her portfolio of issues.
Later on, the king was slated to meet a group of chief executives from the technology sector to talk about investments, according to his schedule. Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang was spotted among the guests for the official arrival ceremony.
What to expect from the King鈥檚 speech to Congress
The king鈥檚 speech to Congress will likely mark his most extensive public remarks during his four-day visit to the U.S.
He鈥檚 expected to address the at the White House Correspondents鈥� Association Dinner in a sign of solidarity and support.
He will also acknowledge tensions that have surfaced between Trump and British Prime Minister , noting that the two countries have not always agreed but 鈥渉ave always found ways to come together.鈥�
King Charles is expected to acknowledge Epstein survivors
King Charles III is expected to acknowledge the survivors of abuse from Jeffrey Epstein when he speaks to Congress on Tuesday afternoon, but declined to meet with survivors of his abuse, according to Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who has been a leader of the charge on Capitol Hill for a reckoning over Epstein.
Khanna had pushed for the king to meet with the survivors during his visit, but said that he was told by the British ambassador to the U.S, that instead there would be an acknowledgement of the survivors.
Allegations of sexual abuse had roiled the British royal family, and King Charles eventually stripped his brother, the former Prince Andrew, of his royal titles and privileges over his links to Epstein.
鈥淚 thought it would have been a incredible moment and statement to show that it doesn鈥檛 matter how much wealth you have, how much power you have, no human being is dispensable and the survivors deserve justice.鈥�
UK envoy鈥檚 unguarded comments are leaked
As King Charles III celebrates the transatlantic relationship, Britain鈥檚 ambassador in Washington has appeared to downplay the uniqueness of the so-called 鈥渟pecial relationship鈥� in leaked comments.
Ambassador Christian Turner told a group of British students that 鈥淚 think there is probably one country that has a special relationship with the United States 鈥� and that is probably Israel.鈥�
He said, though, that the U.K. and the U.S. share 鈥渁 deep history and affinity,鈥� and that 鈥減articularly on our defense and security, we are intertwined.鈥�
A recording of the comments was published Tuesday by the Financial Times, which said they were made in February.
Turner also called it 鈥渆xtraordinary鈥� that scandals around Jeffrey Epstein had brought down a member of the royal family and senior officials in Britain 鈥� and could yet topple Prime Minister Keir Starmer 鈥� 鈥渁nd yet here in the U.S., it really hasn鈥檛 touched anybody.鈥�
The Foreign Office said 鈥渢hese were private, informal comments鈥� and 鈥渃ertainly not any reflection of the U.K. government鈥檚 position.鈥�
Trump says he wanted to go to the Capitol for the King鈥檚 speech
Trump said he wanted to be there for the first address to a joint meeting of Congress by a British king, but he鈥檒l stay behind and watch instead.
鈥淚 was thinking of going, but they said, I don鈥檛 know, that might be a step too far. I would love to go. It鈥檚 not supposed to be protocol, but I would love to be with you,鈥� Trump said during his own speech at the welcome ceremony for Charles and Camilla.
Trump says the magic words: 鈥榦ur special relationship鈥�
Part of the king鈥檚 mission on this state visit is to try to mend a rift over issues r and bolster what is known as between the two countries. In his remarks, Trump explicitly linked Charles to that relationship.
鈥淧rime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin Roosevelt famously met on a ship in the North Atlantic to outline a vision for the free world after World War Two. That understanding of our nation鈥檚 unique bond and role in history is the essence of our special relationship, and we hope it will always remain that way,鈥� Trump said.
鈥淭he ship where the two great leaders met was called the Prince of Wales, the very title that His Majesty the king held longer than any other individual in British history,鈥� he said.
Trump tells Charles his mother 鈥榟ad a crush鈥� on him
Trump talked about his late mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, who was and loved watching the royal family on television at ceremonies and events.
鈥淚 also remember her saying very clearly, 鈥楥harles, look young Charles, he鈥檚 so cute,鈥欌�� Trump said, looking back at the king sitting behind him on the dias.
鈥淢y mother had a crush on Charles — can you believe it?鈥�
鈥榃hat a beautiful British day this is,鈥� Trump quips
Trump welcomed the king and queen noting the drizzle weather that had guests wiping off seats and huddling under umbrellas.
Trump paid tribute the Brits who first traveled to America, then a 鈥渨ild and untamed continent,鈥� and walked through a history of the 鈥渟pecial relationship鈥� between the two nations.
Trump says it鈥檚 a 鈥榯remendous privilege鈥� to host King Charles
The president paid homage to the king鈥檚 mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, as he welcomed the royal couple to the White House.
Trump said Elizabeth was 鈥渁n incredible woman who I had the privilege of getting to know,鈥� noting that she planted a tree at the White House years ago.
鈥淟ook at it now,鈥� he said.
The remarks were part of a broader effort by Trump to note the long history between the U.S. and the U.K.
鈥淟ike our nation itself,鈥� Trump said of the tree, 鈥渋t was laid with British hands but grew in American soil.鈥�
Ballroom construction keeps going during royal visit
Nothing gets in the way of the president鈥檚 ballroom construction. Not even a visit from Britain鈥檚 king and queen.
Work on the project was continuing ahead of the royal visit to the White House. Ballroom construction cranes were swinging and the sound of clangs could be heard.
In the wake of Saturday鈥檚 shooting at the White House Correspondents鈥� Dinner, Trump has said the ballroom is needed to hold secure events. The construction, however, is the subject of an ongoing lawsuit.
Grey skies in Washington ahead of White House welcome
Washington鈥檚 finicky spring weather is on display ahead of King Charles and Queen Camilla arriving at the White House. They鈥檒l be greeted by President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump on the South Lawn.
Ahead of their arrival, skies are grey with a light breeze. Drizzle and rain is possible over the next hour.
Members of the audience are shielding themselves with umbrellas to stay dry as the Marine band plays.
Trump delights in allegedly being a 15th cousin of King Charles III
Is the U.S. president actually a distant royal?
The U.K.-based Daily Mail reported this week that Trump and King Charles III have a shared distant ancestor that would make the two 15th cousins.
According to research conducted for the tabloid, Trump and Charles are both related to the 3rd Earl of Lennox, who is a great-grandson of King James II of Scotland.
鈥淲ow, that鈥檚 nice. I鈥檝e always wanted to live in Buckingham Palace!!!鈥� Trump posted on his social media site Tuesday morning shortly before he was to formally greet the king and Queen Camilla at the White House. 鈥淚鈥檒l talk to the King and Queen about this in a few minutes!!!鈥�
Charles has faced some calls to meet with victims of Jeffrey Epstein
Charles has faced some calls on Capitol Hill to meet with victims of while he is in the U.S. There鈥檚 no indication that he will do so, even as the scandal involving the convicted sex offender has ensnared his brother, the former Prince Andrew, who was over misconduct allegations, which he denies.
U.S. Rep. , D-Calif., urged the king over the weekend to at least address the issue during his congressional speech.
Trump has maintained warm relations with the King
The president has spoken in glowing terms about Charles, repeatedly referring to the monarch as his 鈥渇riend鈥� and a 鈥済reat guy.鈥�
He also continues to mention his 鈥渁mazing鈥� trip to the U.K. in September with Melania Trump for an . Starmer hand-delivered the invitation from the king in the Oval Office five weeks after Trump returned to office, in a very public attempt to woo the Republican president.
The U.K. royal family laid on pomp and pageantry for the Trumps, with scarlet-clad guardsmen, brass bands and a sumptuous banquet at Windsor Castle.
鈥淧resident Trump has always had great respect for King Charles, and their relationship was further strengthened by the president鈥檚 historic visit to the United Kingdom last year,鈥� White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told The Associated Press.
The visit comes at a challenging moment for US-UK relations
Trump鈥檚 up-and-down relationship with Prime Minister has taken a particularly sour turn over the past several months as the president has sought to rally international support for the war in Iran. Trump lamented that Starmer, who has largely resisted his overtures, was 鈥渘o Churchill.鈥�
Trump has also imposed tariffs on the U.K. and warned of additional levies despite a earlier this year that has made such unilateral moves more challenging. Still, Trump threatened just last week to slap a 鈥渂ig tariff鈥� on the U.K. if it doesn鈥檛 scrap a digital services tax on U.S. technology companies.
Trump has more broadly challenged the traditional trans-Atlantic alliance with efforts to and threats to walk away from . He has repeatedly imposed tariffs on and taunted , a member of the British Commonwealth.
A rare royal address to Congress
King Charles III will become the first British monarch to address the since his mother, , in 1991. Her speech highlighted the shared history of both countries and the importance of their democratic values, themes Charles will likely reinforce on Tuesday.
Such addresses are an opportunity afforded to only the most prominent world leaders, including Pope Francis, V谩clav Havel and Winston Churchill. It will likely mark the most extensive public remarks Charles will deliver during a four-day visit to the U.S. that鈥檚 intended to celebrate the country鈥檚 of independence from Britain.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla head to the White House
The king, accompanied by , will begin his day with a meeting at the White House with Trump. The Oval Office encounter offers the potential for the freewheeling, sometimes controversial meetings with foreign leaders that have become routine during Trump鈥檚 second term.
Given the expressly apolitical nature of the British monarch and Trump鈥檚 fondness for the royal family, the likelihood of an awkward meeting may be reduced.
Trump will host Charles on Tuesday evening for a state banquet at the White House.
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