King Charles and Queen Camilla receive highest honour from US alongside Donald Trump at White House ceremony

Svar Nanan-Sen
Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:57:38 +0000

The King and Queen received the United States' most prestigious diplomatic welcome during a military ceremony held on the White House South Lawn.

This ceremonial reception represents the highest honour America extends to any visiting head of state.

The royal couple joined the President and First Lady on the dais following introductions to official delegations from both nations, which included senior political figures.

The formal proceedings featured a traditional 21-gun salute alongside performances of both countries' national anthems by the United States Marine Band.

TRENDING

Stories

Videos

Your Say

King Charles and the President subsequently conducted an inspection of the assembled troops, accompanied by the Commander of Troops, as part of the elaborate welcome ceremony.

The ceremony marked a significant milestone in American military history, with the Space Force Honour Guard participating in a White House event for the first time.

Military aides representing the Army, Marine Corps, and Space Force attended the President during the proceedings.

Units from all six branches of the United States Armed Forces took part in the ceremonial welcome, including the 3d Infantry Regiment's Honour Guard and Commander-in-Chief's Guard, commonly known as The Old Guard.

The Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard each contributed their ceremonial honour guards to the occasion.

The United States Army Presidential Salute Battery provided the traditional artillery tribute honouring the visiting monarch.

Musical performances preceded the formal ceremony, showcasing more than 200 musicians from across the armed services.

The United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps and the Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps opened the entertainment with a combined display.

Additional performances came from the Navy Band, Air Force Band, and the Navy Sea Chanters vocal ensemble.

The Army Herald Trumpets also featured among the participating musical units.

Following the inspection of troops, the Marine Band concluded their performance with John Philip Sousa's celebrated march 'Stars and Stripes Forever'.

White House Marine Sentries and Social Aides supported the ceremonial proceedings throughout the event.

The ceremony concluded with presidential remarks before the royals and their hosts paused on the South Portico balcony.

From this vantage point, they observed a Pass in Review involving nearly 500 service members drawn from all six military branches, marking another historic first for state visits at the White House.

Following the outdoor formalities, the King proceeded to the Oval Office for a meeting with the President.

Meanwhile, the Queen accompanied the First Lady to the White House Tennis Pavilion for an educational initiative with American students.

The cross-cultural event will feature virtual reality headsets and AI-enabled glasses, allowing participants to explore American and British history through artefacts from the White House Collection and National Archives.