King Charles III and Queen Camilla started day two of their U.S. visit by joining U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at a state arrival ceremony at the White House.
Tapping into a tradition that dates to the 18th century, Tuesday morning’s ceremony, which was held on the South Lawn, included military honors being rendered by the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, the U.S. Marine Band playing the national anthems of both countries, and a 21-gun cannon salute. After an inspection of the troops, their majesties and the first couple were scheduled to take part in a pass of review of nearly 800 members of the U.S.’s six military branches. Among the guests were cabinet members, Congressional representatives, military families and students from the British International School of Washington.
Melania Trump turned up for the festivities in a Ralph Lauren Collection white silk and wool jacket and skirt. She completed the look with a wide-brimmed Eric Javits hat and Manolo Blahnik matte snakeskin pumps. For President Trump’s second swearing-in ceremony in 2017, the first lady’s choice of a Javits-designed navy and white hat sparked memes and social media debate. However, guests at Monday’s garden party at the British embassy in Washington, D.C. that was held in honor of the most senior members of the British royal family were advised that “hats were not encouraged.”
The first lady has also counted on the American designer Ralph Lauren for other key photo ops, including the pale blue bolero jacket and dress for President Trump’s 2017 inauguration. Some might consider Lauren to be a king of fashion, so to speak. While a few of his contemporaries like Calvin Klein checked out of the fashion business years ago, the 86-year-old Lauren continues to work at the company he built into a $7.1 billion fashion empire. The Bronx-born creative is also known to be bipartisan about dressing political figures, having suited up Democrats and Republicans for years. In 2022, Lauren designed the elaborate wedding gown that Naomi Biden wore for her nuptials on the White House’s South Lawn.
With a bilateral meeting on the docket after the official gift exchange and White House guest book signing, King Charles and President Trump wore suits and ties. And Queen Camilla, in an ultra-pastel celadon drop-waist dress and stylish hat, was headed to the White House Tennis Pavilion for a cross-cultural event with students including a few state champions from the Presidential AI Challenge. Participants were set to learn about VR headsets to learn about the U.S. and AI-enabled glasses for a primer about American history. Like the White House ballroom, the White House tennis courts, (which were first introduced by Theodore Roosevelt), have undergone noticeable changes under the Trump administration.
Following in the footsteps of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles was slated to address a joint session of Congress Tuesday afternoon. The Trumps were slated to reconvene with the most senior members of the British royal family Tuesday night for a state dinner at the White House, which will be the fourth one to be held during Trump’s two terms.
Other members of the British royal family have had that honor, too. Former president Franklin D. Roosevelt hosted a state dinner for George VI in 1939 and Gerald Ford held one for Queen Elizabeth II in 1976. Her Majesty and Prince Philip were the guests of honor at a state dinner given by former president George H.W. Bush in 1991 and then again when Bush’s son George W. threw one in their honor. Years before Charles ascended, he and his first wife, Princess Diana, Princess of Wales, were feted at a 1985 state dinner. There, the late princess famously danced with the “Saturday Night Fever” actor John Travolta, a pairing that former First Lady Nancy Reagan reportedly helped to facilitate.
