King Charles III and Queen Camilla were welcomed by President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump Monday afternoon at the White House for a visit that marks the 250th anniversary of American independence.
The royals' four-day trip to the U.S. - which kicks off with a private tea - comes at a time when ties between the two countries are strained. POTUS and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are clashing over the Iran war, the U.K.'s Digital Service Tax and control of the Falkland Islands.
Their arrival also follows what has been a turbulent few days in the Beltway. The First Couple and officials in the Trump administration were among the 2,500-plus guests at Saturday's White House Correspondents' Association dinner at the Washington Hilton, where a gunman opened fire. The suspect, Cole Allen, was charged Monday in federal court on three counts including attempting to assassinate the president.
Despite the recent turmoil, what is King Charles' first Stateside visit since his ascension will have its share of pageantry and photo-ops. After the tea, they were scheduled to tour the newly expanded White House beehive on the South Lawn and then attend a garden party at the British Embassy. On Tuesday, King Charles will address the joint session of U.S. Congress, and a state dinner will be held in his honor in the evening.
For today's events, Melania Trump chose a buttercream-colored double-breasted wool crepe suit from Adam Lippes with Manolo Blahnik snakeskin pumps. Lippes also created the navy and white silk wool coat and pencil skirt that FLOTUS wore for last year's presidential inauguration. Unlike at her husband's second swearing-in ceremony, Trump went hatless to greet Their Majesties.
At Saturday's dinner, FLOTUS, who was rushed out of the ballroom by Secret Service agents with other officials, wore a black tuxedo gown from Dolce & Gabbana.
King Charles and President Trump each sported dark blue suits with blue neckties, and Queen Camilla donned an ivory-colored long-sleeve dress with brocade trim.
The White House beehive was an addition made during Barack Obama's administration in 2009. Further back, two other U.S. presidents, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, both kept bees on their respective estates - Mount Vernon and Monticello.
King Charles, a longtime environmentalist, has beehives at Buckingham Palace and at the monarch's Highgrove home. Jars of Highgrove Royal Garden Honey retail for $14 via Highgrove's online shop. All profits for Highgrove items are donated to charity. As a nod to Highgrove, gardeners at the British embassy in Washington, D.C., planted wildflowers in a meadow on the grounds, in advance of today's garden party.
Guests who were hoping to break out their fascinators or hats for today's garden party were out of luck. Invitations advised that "hats are not encouraged." The Royal Watcher's editor in chief Saad Salman speculated that relaxing the dress code removed the burden of guests having to buy a hat for a single event. "It may also facilitate easier interaction, as unobstructed faces allow for more natural conversation and photography," he added.
More broadly, that guidance aligns with a pattern "we've seen from King Charles and Queen Camilla toward modernizing and softening traditional protocols. Several recent royal events have embraced simpler dress expectations compared to historic precedents," Salman said.
Queen Camilla doesn't wear hats on most regular engagements, in contrast with the late Queen Elizabeth II - and she has eschewed tiaras "for all but the most formal white tie occasions," Salman said.
