US President Donald Trump welcomed King Charles III to the White House on Tuesday with a ceremony on the South Lawn, declaring that the United States has 'no closer friends than the British.' The monarch’s four-day state visit, intended to mark America’s 250th anniversary of independence, unfolds against a backdrop of deepening strains between Washington and London.
'In the centuries since we won our independence, Americans have had no closer friends than the British,' Trump said in a speech, adding that the two countries share a 'special relationship, and we hope it will always remain that way.' The president shook hands with the king and Queen Camilla before a rendition of the national anthem.
A Royal Visit Amid Diplomatic Friction
The ceremony, held under clear skies, saw King Charles III greet members of Trump’s administration. Later, the two leaders held a closed-door meeting in the Oval Office. On Wednesday, the king will become the first British monarch to address the US Congress since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, did so in 1991.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, who attended a garden party with the king on Monday, told him he would be 'well received' on Capitol Hill. Johnson earlier this year became the first sitting speaker to address the UK parliament.
Yet the warmth of the ceremonial welcome masks a fraught moment in UK-US relations. Trump’s relationship with Prime Minister Keir Starmer has soured markedly in recent months, particularly as the president has sought international backing for the war in Iran. Trump has publicly criticised Starmer, saying 'this is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with.'
The US has also imposed tariffs on the UK and threatened additional levies, despite a Supreme Court ruling that has made unilateral trade actions more difficult. Just last week, Trump warned of a 'big tariff' if Britain does not scrap its digital services tax on US tech companies — a levy that has long irked Washington. For more on this dispute, see our analysis of the UK digital services tax and the tariff threat.
Beyond trade, Trump has challenged the transatlantic alliance by pursuing efforts to annex Greenland and threatening to walk away from NATO. These moves have unsettled European capitals, including London. The broader context of the visit is explored in our piece on how the state visit highlights strained UK-US ties.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived in Washington on Monday and had a private tea with the president and first lady Melania Trump. The monarch’s schedule includes meetings with business leaders and cultural figures, but his public remarks on Tuesday are expected to be the most extensive of the trip.
The visit underscores the paradox of the 'special relationship': even as policy disagreements multiply, the ceremonial and symbolic ties between the two nations remain strong. For European observers, the king’s presence in Washington is a reminder that the UK, though outside the EU, still serves as a key bridge across the Atlantic — even as that bridge shows signs of wear.
