King Charles has shared the one detail that stood out to him most from the White House state dinner hosted by Donald Trump.
The monarch is currently in the United States for an official state visit, which is due to wrap up on Thursday. On Tuesday night, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed King Charles and Queen Camilla for a state dinner, following the King’s address to Congress earlier the same day.
With both leaders speaking to a packed room of guests, the evening appeared to run smoothly, even as the much-discussed “special relationship” between the UK and the US has faced challenges in recent months.
On Wednesday, as the King continued his schedule, he was asked about the dinner while meeting senior figures from American and British businesses during a trade and business engagement at Rockefeller Center in New York.
During the event, Charles was seen speaking with Stephen Schwarzman, chief executive of private equity firm Blackstone, with the pair reflecting on the state dinner they had both attended.
In their exchange, the King said he had been “so impressed by the music from the military” during the evening’s proceedings. The entertainment reportedly included performances connected to the Marines, Army, and Air Force.
At another point during the dinner, Trump suggested in his remarks that the King shared his views on Iran.
“We’re doing a little Middle East work right now … and we’re doing very well,” Trump said.
“We have militarily defeated that particular opponent, and we’re never going to let that opponent ever, Charles agrees with me even more than I do, we’re never going to let that opponent have a nuclear weapon.
“They know that, and they’ve known it right now, very powerfully.”
As head of state, Charles is expected to remain outside day-to-day politics. After Trump’s comments, Buckingham Palace responded with a statement saying: “The King is naturally mindful of his Government’s long-standing and well-known position on the prevention of nuclear proliferation.”
The visit began on Monday afternoon when Donald and Melania Trump greeted King Charles and Queen Camilla at the South Portico of the White House. The president and first lady then hosted the royal couple for a private tea, before showing them the newly expanded beehive on the South Lawn.
Later, the King and Queen attended a garden party at the British ambassador’s residence in Washington, with roughly 650 guests representing both countries. Reports said up to 3,000 sandwiches were prepared, and the attendee list ranged from Trump administration officials to retired British diver Tom Daley.
During the visit, the King and Queen are expected to stay at Blair House, the official guest residence opposite the White House.
On Tuesday morning, the president and first lady held a State Arrival Ceremony on the South Lawn to formally welcome Their Majesties, including a traditional military reception and remarks from Trump.
Charles and Trump also held a bilateral meeting focused on UK-US ties. Meanwhile, Queen Camilla and the first lady took part in an educational event with students at the White House Tennis Pavilion.
The King later addressed both chambers of the US Congress, becoming the second British monarch to do so, following Queen Elizabeth II’s speech during her 1991 state visit.
The state dinner took place Tuesday evening, with speeches delivered by both the monarch and the president.
On Wednesday, the royal couple traveled to New York City to attend a 9/11 memorial at One World Trade Center, where they met with first responders and families affected by the 2001 attacks.
The King also visited a community organisation and took part in discussions with senior business leaders, while the Queen attended a literary engagement marking the 100th anniversary of Winnie-the-Pooh.
On the final day of the trip, the royals are due to return to the White House to formally say goodbye to the president and first lady.
After that, they are expected to travel to Virginia to visit a national park and join community events linked to the upcoming 250th anniversary of US independence.
Buckingham Palace has also said the King will then travel onward to Bermuda for his first royal visit as monarch to a British Overseas Territory.