Buckingham Palace announced Sunday that King Charles III and Queen Camilla's upcoming state visit to the United States will proceed as originally planned, despite a shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Saturday night.
A palace spokesperson confirmed the decision after transatlantic consultations and government advice, stating, “Following discussions on both sides of the Atlantic through the day, and acting on advice of Government, we can confirm the State Visit by Their Majesties will proceed as planned.” The spokesperson added that the King and Queen are grateful to those who worked quickly to ensure the visit remains on track and are looking forward to its start on Monday.
The royal couple's six-day itinerary, released earlier this month, begins in Washington, D.C., then moves to New York City and Virginia. The visit comes at a time of strained US-UK relations, with President Trump recently criticizing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the UK's stance on the US-Iran conflict and its reluctance to assist in securing the Strait of Hormuz.
Saturday's shooting at the WHCA dinner, which forced the cancellation of the event and the evacuation of Trump and other administration officials, has raised immediate security concerns. A British government source told The Hill that the royal family's appearances are under review by security services, though no changes to plans have been made at this time.
President Trump, speaking Sunday morning on Fox News's “The Sunday Briefing,” expressed enthusiasm for the visit: “First of all, King Charles is coming. And he’s a great guy. And we look forward to it. He’s really a fantastic person and a tremendous representative.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the incident on X as an assassination attempt: “What was supposed to be a fun night at the @WHCA dinner with President Trump delivering jokes and celebrating free speech was hijacked by a depraved crazy person who sought to assassinate the President and kill as many top Trump administration officials as possible.”
The visit is expected to include discussions on trade, defense, and global security, with King Charles also facing pressure from some US lawmakers to address issues such as the Epstein case, as highlighted by Representative Ro Khanna's call for the King to raise the matter during his address to Congress.
As the royal couple arrives amid heightened political tensions and a recent security scare, all eyes will be on how the visit unfolds and whether it can help bridge the widening gap between the two allies.
