King Charles toasts "indispensable" U.S.-U.K. alliance in state dinner hosted by Trump, after rare address to Congress

Both President Trump and King Charles III spoke about the U.S. and U.K.'s alliance in glowing terms at the start of Tuesday's state dinner, though points of disagreement between the two countries remain.

The king called the alliance "indispensable," highlighting the U.S.'s role in helping Europe rebuild after World War II and later setting up NATO — bringing up a delicate subject for Mr. Trump, who has long felt that NATO member countries do not spend enough money on their own defense and are overly reliant on the alliance. 

He also said the countries should "reaffirm…the basis on which our partnership has been built," in light of new challenges like shared foreign adversaries and the risks of new technologies.

Charles acknowledged the two countries have "had our moments of difficulty." He brought up a visit his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, made to the U.S. in 1957, which he said was intended partially to "help put the special back into our relationship after a crisis in the Middle East," referencing the Suez Crisis.

"Nearly 70 years on, it is hard to imagine anything like that happening today," the king joked.

One moment of difficulty between the two countries was prompted by the U.S.'s war with Iran, which the U.K. and many other NATO members have sought to avoid getting directly involved in. Mr. Trump has sharply criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for not offering the U.S. more assistance.

Mr. Trump did not bring up that disagreement on Tuesday, and spoke positively during his toast about the U.S.-U.K. relationship and the two countries' history of shared military operations. But the president referenced the Iran war at one point, saying it was going "very well."

"Charles agrees with me even more than I do, we're never going to let that opponent have a nuclear weapon," he said, referring to Iran. "They know that, and they've known that right now very powerfully."

King Charles III recognized the U.S. and U.K.'s shared history in a toast during the White House state dinner — and cracked a few 18th- and 19th-century jokes.

At one point, he referenced the ballroom that President Trump is seeking to build on the White House grounds, leading to the demolition of the East Wing.

"I cannot help noticing the readjustments to the East Wing," the king said. "I'm sorry to say that we British, of course, made our own small attempt at real estate redevelopment of the White House in 1814."

The king later joked: "You recently commented, Mr. President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German. Dare I say that if it wasn't for us, you'd be speaking French."

Another zinger: He called the state dinner a "very considerable improvement on the Boston Tea Party."

He also applauded the U.S.'s "audacious and visionary act of self-determination" in its fight for independence from the British Empire. And he said he was "here to renew an indispensable alliance."

"Our people have fought and fallen together in defense of the values we cherish," the king said.

The king presented the U.S. president with a gift: A bell that hung aboard a British submarine called the HMS Trump.

President Trump toasted the U.S.'s relationship with the U.K. at the start of Tuesday's state dinner, saying the two countries share a "nobility of spirit and heroic soul."

He pointed to the U.S. and U.K.'s historical military partnerships. And he highlighted the U.S.'s past as a British colony that declared its independence roughly 250 years ago, which left the U.S. with a similar legal system and other customs, thanking the U.K. for offering "the richest inheritance that any nation has ever given to another."

At one point, he recognized state dinner guest Rory McIlroy, congratulating him for his Masters Tournament win earlier this month. "That was a tough one," the president said.

President Trump and first lady Melania Trump have entered the state dinner, accompanied by King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

Supreme Court justices, lawmakers, media figures and tech titans are among those on the guest list for tonight's state dinner released by first lady Melania Trump's office:

• The high court's six conservatives are listed: Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch. (The court's three liberals do not appear on the guest list.)
• Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson are also set to attend, along with GOP Sens. Lindsey Graham, Dave McCormick, Steve Daines, John Barrasso and Jim Risch.
• Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott is listed alongside hosts Bret Baier, Maria Bartiromo, Ainsley Earhardt, Greg Gutfeld, Laura Ingraham and Jesse Watters. Chris Ruddy, the CEO of rival Newsmax and a longtime Trump friend, is also on the list.
• Paramount CEO David Ellison is set to attend. (Paramount Skydance is the parent company of CBS News.)
• Several major tech figures are on the guest list, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen.
• Other business figures include New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzmann, hedge fund manager John Paulson, Cargill CEO Brian Sikes and BP CEO Meg O'Neill.
• Professional golfer Rory McIlroy is attending.
• Three of the president's children will be in attendance: Eric, Tiffany and Ivanka, along with their spouses — including Jared Kushner, who is helping lead the U.S.'s diplomatic push with Iran. Melania Trump's father, Viktor Knavs, is also attending.
• Among the Trump administration and government figures at the dinner are Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

President Trump and first lady Melania Trump posed for a formal photo with King Charles and Queen Camilla inside the White House, ahead of the state dinner.

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

They were greeted by President Trump and first lady Melania Trump, who wore a pale delphinium pink silk strapless gown by Christian Dior Haute Couture, with off-white Dior suede gloves and Dior pale delphinium silk pumps.

The U.S. president praised Charles for his address to Congress earlier in the day, saying the king made a "great speech."

"I'm very jealous," Mr. Trump said, gesturing at Charles.

Before Tuesday's state dinner at the White House, King Charles spoke to tech leaders during a reception at Blair House, according to a pool report.

Attendees included Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, AMD CEO Lisa Su, outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google President Ruth Porat and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff.

Some of the tech leaders spoke about investments in the United Kingdom, and the king spoke about artificial intelligence guardrails and the importance of helping startups get funding.

Charles and Bezos chatted at one point about the tech executive's early struggles in recruiting early stage investors for Amazon, referring to about 40 investors who turned him down. The king responded: "And those 40 are kicking themselves," comparing them to publishers who declined to pick up a famous British export — J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series.

The White House will serve four courses for tonight's state dinner with King Charles III and Queen Camilla, according to first lady Melania Trump's team.

The dinner includes a garden herb velouté and hearts of palm salad for the first course, followed by a course of spring herb ravioli filled with ricotta cheese and morels. The third course includes a Dover sole meunière with potatoes pavé, followed by a "sweet beehive shaped chocolate gâteau with a smooth vanilla bean crémeux custard."

The White House will also serve three American wines: Riesling from Hopkins Vineyard in Connecticut, pinot noir from Penner-Ash Wine Cellars in Oregon and chardonnay from Newton Vineyard in Napa Valley, California.

Several U.S. military bands will perform at the dinner, the East Wing said.

The White House shared a photo of President Trump and King Charles III with the caption "TWO KINGS," followed by a crown emoji.

The post was likely intended to rib the president's critics, who often accuse him of seeking king-like powers for himself. Mr. Trump had also previously appeared to refer to himself as a king in February of last year, when he posted on Truth Social that New York City's new congestion pricing was "dead" and ended his post with "LONG LIVE THE KING."

Mr. Trump addressed the topic on "60 Minutes" on Sunday, responding to reports that a man accused of trying to assassinate him at the White House Correspondents' Dinner had attended a "No Kings" protest.

"I'm not a king," he told CBS News' Norah O'Donnell. "I was a king, I wouldn't be dealing with you."

Amid the call for unity, Charles also noted the importance of the U.S.' actions. 

"America's words carry weight and meaning, as they have since Independence," he said. "The actions of this great nation matter even more. President Lincoln understood this so well, with his reflection in the magisterial Gettysburg Address that the world may little note what we say, but will never forget what we do."

Charles then ended the speech by calling for Britons and Americans to "rededicate ourselves to each other in the selfless service of our peoples and of all the peoples of the world."

After honoring the partnership after Sept. 11, Charles said "that same unyielding resolve is needed for the defense of Ukraine" and to fight climate change. He noted all the ways the British and American forces work together. 

"We do not embark on these remarkable endeavours together out of sentiment," Charles said. "We do so because they build greater shared resilience for the future, so making our citizens safer for generations to come."

Charles stressed the trade relationship between the U.S. and the U.K., and said "our ties in education, research, and cultural exchange empower citizens and future leaders of both countries."

Charles, who has long been dedicated to climate change, noted the "natural wonders of the United States of America" and quoted Teddy Roosevelt about the "the glorious heritage" of the U.S.

"Yet even as we celebrate the beauty that surrounds us, our generation must decide how to address the collapse of critical natural systems, which threatens far more than the harmony and essential diversity of nature," Charles said. "We ignore at our peril the fact that these natural systems — in other words, nature's own economy — provide the foundation for our prosperity and our national security."

Charles said that the first British sovereign to visit the U.S. was his grandfather, King George VI, in 1939.

"The forces of Fascism in Europe were on the march, and some time before the United States had joined us in the defense of freedom," Charles said. "Our shared values prevailed."

Although we are in a "new era," he said "those values remain." But he said this is now a "more volatile and more dangerous than the world to which my late Mother spoke, in this Chamber, in 1991."

Charles continued to note the partnership, saying the challenges now are too great for any one nation to face alone. 

King Charles received a standing ovation from members of both parties when he said "executive power is subject to checks and balances," although he seemingly received more resounding applause from Democrats. The king said the U.S. founders carried with them and carried forward "the great inheritance of the British enlightenment, as well as the ideals which had an even deeper history in English common law and Magna Carta." 

"The U.S. Supreme Court Historical Society has calculated that Magna Carta is cited in at least 160 Supreme Court Cases since 1789, not least as the foundation of the principle that executive power is subject to checks and balances."

Much of the room stood for a standing ovation, and some Democrats cheered. 

Charles said this is his 20th visit to the U.S., although his first as king.

"This is a city which symbolises a period in our shared history, or what Charles Dickens might have called 'A Tale of Two Georges': the first President, George Washington, and my five-times Great Grandfather, King George III," he said. "King George never set foot in America and, please rest assured, I am not here as part of some cunning rearguard action!"

He noted the Founding Fathers, saying that they were "bold and imaginative rebels with a cause. 250 years ago (or, as we say in the United "by balancing contending forces and drawing strength in diversity, they united thirteen disparate colonies to forge a Nation on the revolutionary idea of 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.'" 

Charles continued to highlight the similarities between the U.S. and Britain. 

"They carried with them, and carried forward, the great inheritance of the British Enlightenment – as well as the ideals which had an even deeper history in English Common Law and Magna Carta," he said. 

Charles said that while the American colonies broke away due to "no taxation without representation," there is still "a shared democratic value which you inherited from us."

Charles quoted Mr. Trump saying during a state visit last that "the bond of kinship and identity between America and the United Kingdom is priceless and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable."

King Charles said that when he addresses Parliament, in Britain "we still follow an age-old tradition and take a member of Parliament 'hostage', holding him or her at Buckingham Palace until I am safely returned." 

"These days, we look after our 'guest' rather well – to the point that they often do not want to leave!" Charles joked.

Congress has a similar tradition and appoints a "designated survivor" during joint sessions, such as the State of the Union. 

Charles acknowledged the recent shooting during the White House Correspondents' Dinner and the current divisions within the U.S.

"We meet, too, in the aftermath of the incident not far from this great building that sought to harm the leadership of your Nation and to foment wider fear and discord," Charles said.

Charles added that "such acts of violence will never succeed," receiving applause from Congress. 

"Whatever our differences, whatever disagreements we may have, we stand united in our commitment to uphold democracy, to protect all our people from harm, and to salute the courage of those who daily risk their lives in the service of our countries," he said." 

King Charles kicked off the speech at 3:09 p.m., thanking the American people for welcoming us to the United States to mark this semi-quincentennial year of the Declaration of Independence." He then received a standing ovation.

"And for all of that time, our destinies as Nations have been interlinked," Chales said "As Oscar Wilde said, "We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language!"

The king and queen arrived shortly after 3 p.m., escorted by a bipartisan group of lawmakers from the House and Senate. They were given a standing ovation by lawmakers and other guests in the chamber. 

Members of Mr. Trump's Cabinet entered the House chamber and took their seats. Those attending include CIA Director John Ratciffe, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson called the House to order shortly before 2:40 p.m. ahead of Vice President JD Vance's arrival in the chamber. 

Vance entered followed by senators. 

Members of Congress have begun arriving in the House chamber for the king's speech at 3 p.m. 

Certain seats on the Republican side of the aisle are marked "reserved" for British dignitaries and Embassy officials, who were escorted into the chamber and took their places.

The galleries above the chamber have begun to fill up with guests as well. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, greeted the king at the U.S. Capitol, and the two took part in a photo opportunity before meeting privately. 

In keeping with tradition, the king and the president and queen and first lady exchanged gifts. 

The president gave the king a custom facsimile of a letter written from John Adams to John Jay in 1785, the White House said. In the letter, Adams describes King George III receiving Adams as the first U.S. ambassador to Great Britain. Although the meeting was accompanied by pomp and circumstance, the White House noted that Adams described a strong undercurrent of emotion as the two met as statesmen, rather than as king and subject. 

The king gave the president a framed facsimile of the 1879 design plans for the Resolute Desk, the White House said. The Resolute Desk was constructed from the timber of the British exploration ship the H.M.S. Resolute. The ship was recovered and refitted by the U.S. before it was sent back to England and presented to Queen Victoria in 1856 as a goodwill gesture. 

The originals of those plans are held by the National Maritime Museum in London. 

The first lady gave the queen six Tiffany's sterling silver teaspoons and White House honey jars, the White House said. Each teaspoon is engraved with the queen's cypher. 

The queen gave the first lady British jewelry from jewelry designer Fiona Rae. 

King Charles and Queen Camilla are leaving the White House for the short trip to the Capitol, where the king will address lawmakers later this afternoon. They're expected back at the White House at 7 p.m. for the state dinner.

The president spoke briefly after the royals departed.

"It was a really good meeting. He's a fantastic person. They're incredible people and it's a real honor," he said.

After a stroll down a red carpet, the king and president entered the Oval Office at 11:57 a.m. The first lady and the queen entered after them. 

The president and king are expected to have a bilateral meeting, while the queen and first lady eventually head to a different area to meet with students. 

The president said he would like to watch the king's speech to Congress in person, but that would go against "protocol." 

"He's going to be addressing Congress and I'm going to be watching," Mr. Trump said. "I was thinking of going but they said, 'I don't know. That might be a step too far.' I would love to go. It's not supposed to be protocol, but I would love to be with you."

"But there, the direct descendant of King George III will speak to the direct successor of the very body that gathered in Independence Hall on July 4, 1776," he continued. "If John Adams and George Washington or the king's fifth great-grandfather could see that sight, they might be absolutely shocked. But probably only for a moment. Surely, they would be delighted that the wounds of war healed into the most cherished friendship." 

The king did not deliver remarks at the arrival ceremony. 

After Mr. Trump concluded his speech, the Trumps and the royals ascended the exterior steps of the White House. From there, they observed a military procession and a flyover of four F-35 fighter jets that screamed overhead. They then entered the White House for closed-press meetings. 

In his remarks on the South Lawn, the president made reference to the "special relationship" the two countries have enjoyed for decades.

He talked about how, more than 80 years ago, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin Roosevelt "famously" met on a ship to outline the vision for the free world after World War II. 

"That understanding of our nation's unique bond and role in history is the essence of our special relationship," he said. "And we hope it will always remain that way." 

The ship where the two world leaders met was called "The Prince of Wales," the president said, a title Charles held longer than any other person in British history. 

The president also mentioned his late mother "loved" the royal family, and joked that she had a "crush" on Charles. "I also remember her saying, very clearly, 'Charles, look, young Charles, he's so cute.'"

Despite the seeming irony about starting the United States' 250th anniversary celebrations with a state visit from the British monarchs, the president said "no tribute could be more appropriate."

The principles and character Americans hold dear were drawn from centuries before on the other side of the Atlantic, he said in his remarks from the White House South Lawn. 

"Long before Americans had a nation or a Constitution, we first had a culture, a character and a creed," he said. "Before we ever proclaimed our independence, Americans carried within us the rarest of gifts — moral courage, and it came from a small but mighty kingdom from across the sea." 

The president opened his remarks by saying, "What a beautiful British day this is. And it really is," a reference to the rainy weather in the capital. 

The first lady and queen are both dressed in off-white outfits. 

According to the White House, the white silk and wool jacket and skirt the first lady is wearing are a part of the Ralph Lauren Collection. Her straw hat is designed by Eric Javits. She's wearing matte snake pumps by Manolo Blahnik. 

Just before 11 a.m., after the royals and the president and first lady took the South Lawn stage, they were greeted with a ceremonial cannon salute. 

As the "Star Spangled Banner" played, the first lady placed her hand over her heart and the president held a salute, while the king and queen stood with their arms at their sides.

The president and first lady walked to the driveway on the White House South Lawn ahead of the arrival of the king and queen. At 10:53 a.m., against the backdrop of British and American flags adorning the White House grounds, the king and queen's car arrived. 

Reporters were positioned far away from the royals, with their line of sight blocked by a stage, so it was difficult to see their interactions as they greeted the president and first lady.

As a military band played, the president and the first lady guided the monarchs to a reception line of Trump Cabinet officials before taking their places on a raised platform for the formal ceremony. The reception line included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and others. 

Members of Congress and business leaders are among the many onlookers gathered on a rainy South Lawn of the White House to watch the arrival of the king and queen. 

A photojournalist spotted Apple's Tim Cook and Nvidia's Jensen Huang, the White House press pool said. CBS News spotted Republican Rep. Steve Scalise, Republican Rep. Brian Mast and Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz. Ohio's Republican Gov. Mike DeWine and Republican South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster are also in the crowd. 

Shortly before the king's arrival, the president posted images on Truth Social from a Daily Mail column claiming a genealogist had traced the president's lineage back to the king's, and the two are distant cousins. 

"Revealed: How the Mail traced Trump's family tree and found out he's the king's cousin!" the piece's headline reads. 

"Wow, that's nice. I've always wanted to live in Buckingham Palace!!!" Mr. Trump wrote. "I'll talk to the King and Queen about this in a few minutes!!!"

The king, queen, president and first lady have a full schedule Tuesday, beginning with a greeting on the White House's South Portico at 10:35 a.m. This will be a more grand and formal welcome than Monday's greeting.

The pre-ceremony program will feature a U.S. military drum and bugle corps performance, and over 200 performers in total, the White House says. The U.S. Space Force, Marines and other military branches will participate in the arrival.

The king and queen will be welcomed with the song "Jubilant Fanfare" upon their arrival.

At 11:10 a.m., the Trumps and the royals will exchange gifts behind closed doors in the White House's Blue Room. At 11:40 a.m., the president and king will hold a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, also behind closed doors. It's not clear how long the bilateral meeting will last. While they meet, the first lady and the queen will join students on the White House grounds to explore the history of the U.S. and the U.K.

The king will leave the White House in the afternoon and head to Capitol Hill, where he will speak at 3 p.m. to a joint meeting of Congress. 

The king and queen will return to the White House again at 7 p.m. for a tour and document viewing in the White House Residence. The state dinner in honor of the king and queen is slated to begin at 8:05 p.m. in the East Room, although guests will arrive sooner. 

Since the king's visit is meant to mark the United States' 250th anniversary, Charles is likely to speak about the relationship between the two countries, particularly during and after World War II. The king, who plays a different role in the U.K. than does the prime minister and generally isn't involved in day-to-day governing, may rely greatly on history to inform his speech. 

"I expect the speech to be at a rather high-level and my expectation is that it will be somewhat historical — acknowledging the United States came from a revolution against his country, but then how we've sort of overcome that," said Max Bergmann, director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The question will be, Bergmann said, whether the king hints at issues like human rights and freedoms that the U.S. and U.K. supported together after World War II, and whether the king hints at anything that could be interpreted as a criticism of the current administration.

President Trump's meeting with the king is expected to take place behind closed doors Tuesday morning, away from the eyes of reporters. They may discuss the U.S.'s war with Iran and other international issues, although Bergmann said his "baseline sense is this is going to be kind of a feel-good trip" focused on the historical ties of the two nations. 

Still, Charles has a delicate role to play. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mr. Trump's relationship has been strained amid the war with Iran. Mr. Trump has also criticized immigration policy under Starmer. 

"He's got some fine thread and he has to thread it through a very very fine needle," Bergmann said of the king.

Bergmann said the president and king may also discuss other concerns of the king, like international nutrition and health aid for poor nations. International aid from the U.S. took a hit with the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Mr. Trump told the BBC last week he thinks the king's visit could help repair U.S.-U.K. relations.

"Absolutely," the president told the BBC. "He's fantastic. He's a fantastic man. Absolutely the answer is yes."

It's not clear exactly when they first met, but it was more than two decades ago, when Mr. Trump was a businessman in New York society. Photos show Melania and Donald Trump chatting with Charles at an event at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City in 2005. 

More formally, the president and first lady visited with him in the U.K. in 2019, when Charles was still the Prince of Wales. The Trumps visited again in September 2025, attending an elaborate state dinner hosted by the king and queen at Windsor Castle. 

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

Mr. Trump expressed his sympathy for the king after the king's brother, Andrew Mountbatton-Windsor, was arrested on suspicion of public misconduct in office related to revelations from the Epstein files. The king had already stripped Andrew of his royal titles due to his connections to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Mr. Trump called the situation with Andrew a "very sad thing." 

Charles' last official visit to Washington was in 2015, while he was still prince. He and Camilla met with the Obamas during that visit. 

When Charles and Camilla landed on U.S. soil Monday, they were welcomed by a U.S. military band and school children who presented posies of flowers.

Then, they headed to the White House, where President Trump and first lady Melania Trump welcomed them with a private tea and tour of the White House's latest beehive.