King Charles III was welcomed to the White House by US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump on Monday, as he began a visit widely seen as an effort to steady relations between Britain and the United States.
US-UK ties have been under strain since the latter opted to stay out of active combat in the Middle East war. Despite the US urging its Nato partners, including the UK, to “take the Strait of Hormuz”, and join the war with their militaries, the members of the alliance have consistently push for dialogues and refused to engage militarily. However, the UK has allowed the US to use its airbases for “defensive” strikes aimed at Iranian missile systems.
The King and Queen Camilla were greeted with a brief photo opportunity before heading inside for tea. They later walked through the South Grounds, where they were shown a newly installed beehive shaped like the White House.
After being welcomed to Washington by the President and First Lady, the King and Queen visited the White House beehives, the Royal Family posted on X.
The hives, set up in 2009, supply honey for the White House. In 2026, First Lady Melania Trump added a custom White House-shaped hive that hosts 70,000 bees each summer.
Having been welcomed to Washington DC by The President and First Lady of the United States, The King and Queen were shown the beehives in the White House gardens.
🐝 The White House beehives were first established in 2009, serving as an enduring feature of the grounds across… pic.twitter.com/NVVDJu4rpV
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 28, 2026
News agency Associated Press reported that both Charles and Camilla support beekeeping, with the King maintaining hives at his private residence in England as part of his environmental work.
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The visit comes at a time of political differences between the two governments. Trump has criticised Keir Starmer over his refusal to support US military action against Iran, saying he was “not Winston Churchill”. He has also described some NATO allies as “cowards” and “useless”.
Despite this, Trump said the king’s visit could help relations. “He’s fantastic… absolutely the answer is yes,” he told the BBC, when asked whether the trip could improve ties.
A royal buzz. 🐝
Their Majesties joined the President and First Lady for a tour of the newly unveiled and expanded White House Beehive on the South Lawn. pic.twitter.com/RGx0OtZc8v
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 28, 2026
The White House said Trump has “great respect” for the monarch and looks forward to events including a state dinner.
Some in Britain have questioned the timing of the visit. Ed Davey called Trump “a dangerous and corrupt gangster” and urged the government to cancel the trip, saying he feared what the president “might say or do”.
Starmer defended the visit, saying the monarchy helps “build bonds” over time and can support key relationships.
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This is Charles’s first visit to the US as king. He is expected to address the US Congress, only the second British monarch to do so after Queen Elizabeth II in 1991.
The four-day visit will also include a stop at the September 11 memorial in New York and events in Virginia focused on environmental issues, a key interest of the king.
