Summary

  • King Charles III and Queen Camilla meet Donald Trump and the First Lady Melania Trump at the White House - watch live

  • The royals have officially started their four-day state visit - here's a look at their warm welcome in pictures

  • This is the biggest diplomatic challenge of King Charles's reign, writes our royal correspondent, and there are high stakes

  • The Palace says the programme will go ahead largely as planned and further security talks have taken place after a gunman gained access to an event attended by Trump on Saturday

  1. King and Queen sit down to tea with president and first ladypublished at 21:42 BST

    We're now seeing images of the King and Queen sitting down for tea with the president and first lady at the White House.

    The spread appears to feature finger sandwiches, cakes, honey, with a pot of tea being poured by a staff member.

    US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump host Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla for afternoon tea.Image source, Pool
    US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump host Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla for afternoon tea.Image source, Pool
  2. In pictures: President and first lady greet King and Queen as state visit gets under waypublished at 21:39 BST

    King Charles exiting the car and being greeted by President Trump and the First LadyImage source, Getty Images
    President Trump and King Charles walking into the White House with the First Lady and Queen Camilla behindImage source, Getty Images
    President Trump speaking to King CharlesImage source, Reuters
    Queen Camilla, King Charles, Donald Trump and Melania Trump stand in a line outside the White House.Image source, Getty Images
  3. King and Trump appear to exchange remarks while posing for photospublished at 21:23 BST

    U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump welcome Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla on the day of an afternoon tea on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 27, 2026.Image source, Reut

    King Charles and Queen Camilla have been invited into the White House with US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.

    Before entering the building, the four stood in a line posing for the waiting media, with the King and Trump appearing to exchange friendly remarks.

    The president and first lady will now host a private tea, with a garden party to be held later.

  4. King and Queen greeted by President and First Lady Trumppublished at 21:18 BST
    Breaking

    King Charles and Queen Camilla have just arrived at the White House.

    They're being greeted by President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.

    You can watch live at the top of this page.

    Queen Camilla shakes Donald Trump's hand while King Charles kisses Melania Trump on the cheek at the White House.Image source, Reuters
  5. Preparations under way for imminent arrival at White Housepublished at 21:07 BST

    People stood outside White House with red carpet rolled out.Image source, POOL
    A view of people outside the entrance to the White House.Image source, POOL
  6. The first British state visit since 2007published at 21:01 BST

    Queen Elizabeth II , Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, Laura Bush and George W Bush wave from the balconyImage source, Getty Images

    Today's visit marks the first British state visit to the US since Queen Elizabeth II's trip in 2007.

    The six-day visit saw the late Queen, accompanied by Prince Philip, meeting the then-US President George W Bush.

    The Queen was honoured with a 21-gun salute ahead of a state banquet and visited a replica of the largest ship to carry English settlers across the Atlantic in 1606.

    In a speech delivered at the banquet, the Queen toasted the UK-US relationship.

    Her visit marked the 400th anniversary of the country's first permanent English settlement.

  7. Analysis

    A high-stakes US visit for the Kingpublished at 20:51 BST

    Sean Coughlan
    Royal correspondent in Washington DC

    Trump and King Charles enjoy a lighter moment during the state banquet at Windsor Castle for last year's state visitImage source, Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Trump and King Charles enjoy a lighter moment during the state banquet at Windsor Castle for last year's state visit

    Thorny political relations

    While the US president is a self-avowed fan of the royals, he regularly criticises the UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, and dismissed UK aircraft carriers as "toys" compared with US equivalents. The King is, of course, the head of the British Armed Forces.

    'Delicate balancing act'

    State visits are carried out on behalf of the government, and royal sources recognise this trip is going to be a "delicate balancing act", but say there's a bigger picture of long-term US and UK friendship.

    "Yes, we face current challenges, but the visit will also seek to celebrate our nations' historic ties and create the conditions for that partnership to continue long into the future," says a royal source.

    The King's brother Andrew

    There's personal pressure on the King too. After the scandal involving his brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, it's highly likely that survivors of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein will be giving interviews complaining that the royal visitors are not meeting them during the visit.

    Queen Camilla will be meeting campaigners against domestic abuse during her engagements.

    Trump's admiration for the King:

    Trump has been steadfast in his admiration for the monarchy and King Charles.

    "I know him well, I've known him for years," the president told the BBC last week about the King. "He's a brave man, and he's a great man."

    Whether or not that admiration is reciprocated is hard to say. Because when you ask insiders about how the King sees Trump, they tend to repeat how much Trump admires the King.

    Read more in this full story.

  8. Analysis

    Both the Palace and UK government are very aware of the jeopardy of this trippublished at 20:28 BST

    Daniela Relph
    Reporting from Joint Base Andrews

    At this moment in time, when you look at the two personalities of the men involved, it's hard to find a time when on paper they have felt further apart.

    In the King you have a quiet, cautious, restrained kind of character who largely plays by the rules.

    In President Trump you have someone who is much looser, who shoots from the hip, someone who is a little less predictable.

    Both Buckingham Palace and the UK government are very aware of the jeopardy of this trip.

    That is why, when you look at the detail of the programme, some of that jeopardy has really been squeezed out.

    There aren't many moments - I counted just five - when we will see the president and the King together.

    So there is an element of management.

  9. What's next on the agenda for the royal visit?published at 20:23 BST

    The four day itinerary will see the royal couple welcomed at a formal ceremony at the White House and conduct a ceremonial military review.

    First on the agenda, however, is an informal welcome by President Trump and the first lady.

    They will host a private tea before the four attend a garden party with a wider array of guests.

    King Charles and Queen Camilla descend the aircraft staircaseImage source, Getty Images
  10. State visit will be physically and mentally demanding for King - royal commentatorpublished at 20:16 BST

    Royal commentator Caroline Aston has just been speaking to BBC News.

    She says, for someone still living with cancer, the state visit's "cost in physical and mental terms will be high" for King Charles.

    "It just shows what a trooper he is and how he's very much inherited his late mother's spirit of service and duty," Aston says.

    It's worth remembering that the King is 77 years old and is the oldest person to ascend to the British throne, she adds.

  11. A warm welcome for the King and Queen on the tarmacpublished at 20:08 BST

    The King and Queen have now departed Joint Base Andrews, and will soon be arriving at the White House to meet US President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.

    There, they will be greeted for a private tea, before attending a garden party.

    Britain's King Charles III and Britain's Queen Camilla are greeted by US Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on April 27, 2026.Image source, Getty Images
    A wide angle shot showing all those gathering to greet the KingImage source, Getty Images
    Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive for a state visit to the United States at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., April 27, 2026.Image source, Reuters
    An honor guard approaches after Britain's King Charles and Britain's Queen Camilla landed at Joint Base Andrews, U.S., Maryland, on April 27, 2026Image source, Reuters
  12. Watch: King Charles and Queen Camilla descend aircraft stairs ahead of significant state visitpublished at 20:05 BST

  13. US and UK national anthems played to King and Queen as they arrivepublished at 19:57 BST

    After walking through a military guard of honour, a military band plays both the US and UK national anthems to the King and Queen.

    The pair now enter a black car parked on the runway of the air base, before departing.

    Britain's King Charles III and Britain's Queen Camilla are greeted by US Protocol Chief Monica Crowley as they arrive at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland,.Image source, Getty Images
  14. Welcome party greets King and Queenpublished at 19:52 BST

    Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla receive bunches of flowers from two childrenImage source, Reuters
    The King shakes the hand of someone waiting in line to greet him. The Queen can just be seen behind himImage source, Getty Images

    The King and Queen are now being greeted by the welcoming party on the red carpet as they disembark the plane.

    The pair were gifted flowers by two young children before being greeted by UK ambassador to the US Sir Christian Turner and the White House's head of protocol, Monica Crowley.

  15. Charles and Camilla descending stairspublished at 19:49 BST

    The King and Queen descend the stairs from the planeImage source, Reuters

    King Charles and Queen Camilla can now be seen descending the stairs of the aircraft for their US visit, the first undertaken by a British monarch since 2007.

    Several dignitaries, a guard of honour and a military band are there to meet them.

    US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will greet them at the White House later.

  16. Greeters stand ready on the tarmacpublished at 19:47 BST

    A line of people wait to greet the King and QueenImage source, AFP via Getty Images
    The plane has landed, figures can be seen in the foregroundImage source, Reuters
  17. King and Queen set to alight plane - watch and follow livepublished at 19:44 BST

    The King and Queen are shortly due to depart the plane, marking the start of their four-day US state visit.

    You can watch live above.

    A plane on tarmac, people stood nearby.Image source, POOL
  18. Royals' plane lands at Joint Base Andrewspublished at 19:40 BST

    Plane with UK flag.Image source, POOL
    Plane with UK flagImage source, POOL
  19. King and Queen land in USpublished at 19:31 BST
    Breaking

    A plane with a Union Jack approaches the tarmac to landImage source, Reuters

    King Charles III and Queen Camilla have just landed in the US.

    They will soon be disembarking their plane and beginning their four-day state visit.

    You can watch live at the top of this page.

  20. Red carpet rolled out ahead of arrivalpublished at 19:27 BST

    We're seeing the first images now of a red carpet that is being rolled out at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, ahead of the King and Queen's arrival.

    A military band and honour guard are also pictured.

    A red carpet is wheeled out on the tarmacImage source, Getty Images
    The US Army band and honor guard prepare ahead of the arrival. A set of stairs is ready for when the plane landsImage source, Getty Images