After the gun attack on Saturday night (25 April) threw a bit of doubt over the visit, King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived in the US yesterday for their state visit.
The royals are set to spend four days over in the states and kicked the thing off with a cup of tea with Donald and Melania Trump at the White House.
The president and first lady greeted them on the South Lawn, of course, with plenty of eyes and lenses on them.
But their initial words and pleasantries weren’t audible to the TV cameras and so a lip reader has suggested the King was ‘telling off Trump’ within moments.
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This visit has been tipped as Charles’ most important foreign trip of his reign so far, coming during a rather pivotal moment for the UK and US are relations between our prime minister and the US president aren’t so sunshine and rainbows.
Trump has lashed out at Keir Starmer a fair bit, having described him as ‘not Winston Churchill’ and branding the UK’s approach to the Iran war ‘terrible’.
It’s thought that hope is being put in the royals to help get the UK-US special relationship on a firmer footing. And it’s a bit of a win for Trump too, who wanted the first inward state visit of his second term to be from the UK.
He was making small talk with the King as they posed for photos in the sunshine and lip reader Nicola Hickling told the Daily Mail that it wasn’t the lightest of small talk.
She claimed Trump appeared to say: “This shooting…”
While the King seemed to respond: “I'd rather not stand about here too long.
“I feel I shouldn't be here.”
And Trump is then said to have asked if the royal was OK as he reportedly added: “It’s not a good thing.”
The president apparently continued: “I wasn’t prepared but now I am prepared.”
Trump then appeared to change the subject, as he explained he had been in contact with the Russian president.
“He wants war,” he is said to have claimed.
According to Hickling, the King told him: “We will discuss that later.”
Trump wasn’t having that though, as he continued: “I've got a feeling… if he did what he said, he will wipe out the population.”
But, once again, Charles tried to switch topics as he told him: “Another time.”
The president seemed to get the message and moved onto a more light-hearted subject, his White House ballroom project.
“You can see right through there,” Trump said. “Right the way through to the ballroom. Would you like to see?”
And the King seemed to have a bit of a laugh as he said: “I’m sure you shall show us.”
Trump appeared to say: “That's right, you're right.”
The LADbible Group has contacted the White House for comment.
King Charles and Queen Camilla's US state visit schedule
Day 1: Monday 27 April
On Monday afternoon, Donald and Melania Trump welcomed King Charles and Queen Camilla at the South Portico of the White House. The president and first lady hosted a private tea for the royals before giving them a tour of the newly expanded White House beehive on the South Lawn.
They later attended a garden party at the British ambassador's residence in Washington, with around 650 people representing the UK and US in attendance. Up to 3,000 sandwiches were prepared for the occasion, with guests ranging from Trump administration officials to retired British diver Tom Daley.
King Charles and Queen Camilla are expected to stay at Blair House, the official guesthouse across from the White House, during their state visit.
Day 2: Tuesday 28 April
On Tuesday morning, the president and first lady will host a State Arrival Ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House to formally welcome Their Majesties, featuring a traditional military arrival ceremony and a speech from Trump.
The King and POTUS will participate in a bilateral meeting to discuss the US and UK's relations. At the same time, the Queen and the first lady will join students for an educational event at the White House Tennis Pavilion.
King Charles will also deliver a speech to both houses of the US Congress, making him the second British monarch to do so after his mother Queen Elizabeth II’s speech during her 1991 state visit.
A State Dinner will be held in the evening, where the monarch and Trump are expected to give speeches.
Day 3: Wednesday 29 April
On Wednesday, King Charles and Queen Camilla will travel to the Big Apple to attend a 9/11 memorial at One World Trade Center. They will also meet with the first responders and families of victims in the 2001 attacks.
The King will then visit a community organisation and attend a meeting with senior business leaders, while the Queen will head to a literary event to mark the 100th anniversary of Winnie-the-Pooh.
Day 4: Thursday 30 April
For the final day of their state visit, the royals will return to the White House to bid a formal goodbye to the president and first lady.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will then make their way to Virginia to visit a national park and attend community events celebrating the 250th anniversary of US independence.
The Palace says His Majesty will then travel to Bermuda to undertake his first royal visit as Monarch to a British Overseas Territory.
Topics: Donald Trump, UK News, Royal Family, US News
Jess Battison