The first day of the State visit by Kings Charles III and Camilla to the United States ended, as is customary in these events, with a State banquet at the White House, where all attendees were dressed in high etiquette. It was the moment when especially the consort of the monarch and the American First Lady, Melania Trump, showcased their best attire, the former in a custom-made fuchsia dress by the British designer Fiona Clare and spectacular jewelry that belonged to Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, who married the Duke of Kent in 1934; and the latter in a pastel Haute Couture dress by Dior.
King Charles and Donald Trump exchanged several jokes during their respective speeches before the traditional toast, lightening the atmosphere of such a pompous event. One of the jokes that garnered the most laughter among the attendees in the grand hall was when the monarch quipped to Trump that he would be "speaking French if it weren't for us," referring to the founding of the Thirteen Colonies on the East Coast of North America, initiated by English settlers. The Windsor's visit is now focused on commemorating the 250 years of US independence. "Indeed, Mr. President, you recently commented that, were it not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German," said the king. "Well, were it not for us, you would be speaking French." The laughter was loud.
During the dinner, the king presented Donald Trump with the bell from an old British Navy submarine that coincidentally bore the same name, HMS Trump, a submarine from World War II launched in 1944. The King said, "May it serve as a testament to the shared history of our nations and their bright future. And if you ever need to get in touch with us, just give us a call," said the king, who has not wasted a moment since landing in the US on Monday to reaffirm the old alliance between the two countries, the "special relationship," in an attempt to ease tensions of recent months.
However, as expected, the American president, not one for diplomatic niceties, ended up putting the monarch in a serious predicament when he declared that the United States had "militarily defeated" Iran. He added, "We will never allow that adversary, Carlos agrees with me, even more than I do, to have a nuclear weapon."
The best images of King Charles III and Camilla's visit to Donald Trump at the White House
Charles III was left speechless upon hearing Trump's words, but his expression said it all, one of those "earth, swallow me" moments where a parliamentary monarch doesn't know where to look.
Shortly after, Buckingham Palace had to intervene, with a spokesperson telling media outlets like the BBC: "The king is, of course, aware of his Government's long-standing and well-known position on preventing nuclear proliferation," emphasizing the scrupulous neutrality maintained on political matters, as Trump's comment implied that the sovereign was closer to Washington's current Middle East war strategy than to the position of the British Government under Keir Starmer, who has not supported the US and Israel's offensive against the ayatollah regime, a key reason for the cooling relations between the White House and Downing Street.
A military band took the spotlight, playing tunes like The Music of the Night from The Phantom of the Opera to delight the guests seated at the tables.
The organization of the evening was overseen by the First Lady, Melania. The White House explained that they had carefully designed a menu inspired by the season, including dishes such as a sour cream herb garden accompanied by a heart of palm salad, spring herb ravioli, and meunière sole bathed in golden butter with a nutty flavor, along with a dessert featuring honey from the residential gardens' beehives - on Monday afternoon, after tea, the Trumps showed them to the British monarchs - and flourless chocolate in the shape of a beehive, accompanied by a vanilla custard.
Although Donald Trump does not consume alcohol, the White House offered a variety of wines from US producers such as Hopkins Riesling, Penner-Ash Pinot Noir, and Newton Chardonnay.
The tableware included over 250 pieces of vermeil from the White House collection, along with hand-painted menus.
Among the guests at the State banquet were members of the presidential Cabinet, the king's advisors, Republican lawmakers, six Supreme Court justices, TV presenters, and billionaire entrepreneurs.
Among the Supreme Court justices present were Samuel Alito, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, John Roberts, and Clarence Thomas.
Not missing the evening were Amazon and Blue Origin founder, Jeff Bezos, accompanied by his wife Lauren Sanchez, and Apple CEO, Tim Cook; Fox News presenters, Greg Gutfeld, Laura Ingraham, and Bret Baier; professional golfer Rory McIlroy, American fashion designer Ralph Lauren, and billionaire entrepreneur Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots.
Shortly before the dinner, the White House had shared on social media a photo of Trump and Charles with the caption "TWO KINGS". Trump and his allies have repeatedly opposed the massive protests that have filled US cities in recent months under the slogan "No to kings" against the authoritarian drift of his Administration. This week, they have accused the president's critics of fueling the anger that has already led to three assassination attempts against him. The untimely "TWO KINGS" photo with Charles III and Camilla on a State visit was another ill-timed gesture by the Republican that forces Queen Elizabeth II's son to maintain composure. All in the name of preserving the transatlantic spirit.
Historic speech before Congress
In the afternoon, Charles III delivered a brilliant speech before the US Congress in a joint session. He did not overlook any of the most thorny issues in current politics, but it is worth noting that the speech was drafted by the Palace with the recommendations and approval of the Government, as it should be. The king emphasized the importance of maintaining the alliance between Washington and London, which he said is "one of the most consequential in human history." He highlighted that both countries share "a history of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership."
The monarch also recalled the speech delivered at the Capitol in 1991 by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, during one of her State visits to the US over her 70-year reign. He threaded his entire intervention around the message of unity: "I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to uphold our shared values, along with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls for isolation."
He also advocated for NATO, an organization that Trump has threatened to leave after allies did not support him in the Strait of Hormuz. "NATO is committed to mutual defense," he stated, recalling that the Alliance invoked Article 5 for the first time after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
He also urged the United States to maintain support for Ukraine against Russia, at a time when this conflict no longer dominates headlines as much.
Charles III's words were frequently interrupted by applause from senators and congressmen, gathered for the occasion in a joint and solemn session.
It is not clear whether Trump liked the king's intervention or not, as it can also be interpreted as a direct criticism of his policies. In any case, the Republican showed good humor and wit when, at the gala dinner, he praised Carlos III for his speech, stating that he had achieved something that he has never been able to, "getting the Democrats to stand up." "I couldn't believe it, I have never been able to do that," said the president. Everyone laughed at his joke, of course.