King Charles and Camilla Press On With US Visit
King Charles and Queen Camilla are set to begin a four-day state visit to the United States despite heightened security concerns following the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington. Buckingham Palace said the trip would go ahead after discussions between UK and US teams, with only minor adjustments expected to one or two engagements.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said the King and Queen would proceed as planned, and Fox News reported that the Palace confirmed Their Majesties were “most grateful” to those working quickly to keep the visit on track and were looking forward to it getting underway.
The shooting took place at the Washington Hilton Hotel during the annual dinner on Saturday night, with President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump among those evacuated, according to the report. The same account said a gunman exchanged fire with Secret Service agents before being subdued and taken into custody, and that a Secret Service officer struck in a ballistic vest was expected to make a full recovery.
The visit is due to include a welcome by the President and First Lady and a private tea at the White House, as well as ceremonial and cultural engagements in Washington, before travel onwards to New York and Virginia. It comes days after the King privately contacted President Trump following the incident, in a message described as expressing relief that those attending were unharmed.
Officials on both sides are expected to continue reviewing operational planning as the trip progresses, with the Palace indicating the overall schedule remains intact. The state visit is being framed as a moment to underline long-standing UK-US ties, while ensuring security remains under close review following the weekend’s events.
