President Trump and first lady Melania Trump gave a warm reception to King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the White House on Monday, kicking off a slew of events during the royals’ four-day trip to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.
The visit will include a White House reception, a ceremonial military welcome, a state dinner, a tour of the newly expanded White House beehive, and Mrs. Trump and Queen Camilla will also attend an artificial intelligence event.
Charles is also scheduled to address Congress on Tuesday.
Upon arriving at the White House, the king and queen joined Mr. Trump and the first lady for tea in the White House Green Room before viewing the beehive on the South Lawn near the Kitchen Garden.
The beehive is part of Mrs. Trump’s honey project, including four bee colonies that produce the White House’s honey, which is used by the residence’s chefs to sweeten teas, make salad dressings and add to desserts.
On Tuesday, Mr. Trump and Charles will hold a bilateral meeting while their spouses attend the separate AI event at the White House Tennis Pavilion. The event is part of Mrs. Trump’s “Fostering the Future Together” initiative.
The visit comes as Washington is still on edge from Saturday’s attack at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. A gunman who is in custody targeted Mr. Trump in an apparent assassination attempt.
Anxiety is also running high between the U.S. and the U.K. over Mr. Trump’s war in Iran.
The two countries are longtime allies, but Mr. Trump has been fiercely critical of Britain’s decision not to join the military operation and has levied personal attacks on Prime Minister Keir Starmer, saying, “This is not Winston Churchill we’re dealing with.”
In Britain, the war is deeply unpopular amid anger over rising gas prices. Some politicians, including Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, called for Charles to cancel the trip to America.
Mr. Starmer has insisted the visit will take place, saying it will be “an important reminder of the long-standing bonds and enduring relationship” between the two countries. He added that those ties are “greater than anyone who occupies any particular office at any particular time.”
