By J.J. Pavlick | Washington, DC | April 25, 2026
A Historic Visit to Mark a Milestone Year
The White House will welcome His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Her Majesty Queen Camilla for a State Visit from April 27 to April 30, marking the first official State Visit of President Donald J. Trump’s second term. The visit coincides with the United States’ 250th anniversary of independence, a symbolic backdrop for a relationship that has shaped global diplomacy for centuries.
First Lady Melania Trump led preparations for the visit, overseeing ceremonial, cultural, and educational components designed to highlight the enduring partnership between the two nations.
Day One: Arrival and Tea in the Green Room
The visit begins Monday afternoon, April 27, when the President and First Lady greet Their Majesties at the South Portico. The two couples will then move to the State Floor for tea in the Green Room, a longstanding tradition for visiting heads of state.
Following tea, the President and First Lady will accompany King Charles III and Queen Camilla on a tour of the newly expanded White House Beehive, located near the Kitchen Garden on the South Lawn. The couples will then depart the White House grounds.
Day Two: A State Arrival Ceremony Rooted in Tradition
On Tuesday morning, April 28, the President and First Lady will host a State Arrival Ceremony on the South Lawn—a tradition dating back to the 18th century. The ceremony will include:
- Military Honors by the United States Army Herald Trumpets
- National anthems performed by “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band
- A 21‑gun salute by the Presidential Salute Battery
- An Inspection of the Troops and Troops in Review by the U.S. Army Fife and Drum Corps
The President will deliver remarks before the couples move to the Blue Room Balcony to observe a Pass in Review of 300 U.S. Service Members. Nearly 500 members of the Armed Forces from all six branches will be present—a first in State Visit history.
Thousands of guests are expected, including Cabinet members, members of Congress, official delegations from both nations, American military families, and students from the British International School of Washington.
Diplomacy and Cultural Exchange
After the ceremony, Their Majesties will sign the White House guest book and participate in an official gift exchange with the President and First Lady. The couples will then greet members of both delegations in the Cross Hall of the State Floor.
President Trump and King Charles III will hold a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office while the First Lady and Queen Camilla follow a separate schedule.
As part of that schedule, the First Lady and Queen Camilla will join American students at the White House Tennis Pavilion for a cross-cultural educational program. The event, aligned with the First Lady’s “Fostering the Future Together” initiative, will include virtual reality lessons about the United Kingdom and AI‑enabled activities exploring American history and artifacts from the White House Collection and the National Archives.
State Dinner and Farewell
On Tuesday evening, the President and First Lady will welcome Their Majesties back to the White House for a State Dinner in the East Room. Additional details will be released by the Office of the First Lady.
The visit concludes Thursday morning, April 30, when the President and First Lady bid farewell to King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the South Portico before a final departure ceremony in the Diplomatic Reception Room.
As the United States prepares to host King Charles III and Queen Camilla for a State Visit steeped in tradition and diplomacy, Bad Dawg readers will get the deeper context—the history behind the ceremony, the strategy behind the meetings, and the significance of a royal visit during America’s 250th year.
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