King officially accepts Donald Trump's State Visit invite amid tension between President and Keir Starmer

Svar Nanan-Sen
Tue, 31 Mar 2026 12:00:02 +0000

Buckingham Palace has confirmed that King Charles and Queen Camilla will undertake a State Visit to the United States in late April, coinciding with America's 250th anniversary of independence.

The visit comes at the invitation of the US President and on the advice of the British Government.

Keir Starmer will be hoping the State Visit will help improve the special relationship between the UK and US following a prologued period of tension between the Prime Minister and President Donald Trump.

A statement from Buckingham Palace said: "Their Majesties' programme will celebrate the historic connections and the modern bilateral relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States, marking the 250th anniversary of American Independence."

TRENDING

Stories

Videos

Your Say

The Palace stated that specific dates and would announced closer to the trip. However, just hours later, Donald Trump appeared to confirm the dates in a post on Truth Social.

The programme will include a state dinner at the White House and an address to Congress.

President Donald Trump revealed a state dinner would take place during a press conference last week.

President Trump told GB News regarding the monarch: “He is a friend of mine, he is a great gentleman. As you know, he honoured me and our country. We had an amazing time.

“I have known him as Prince Charles, I know him as King Charles, I am proud of him.

President Trump added: “He is going to be here very soon, we are going to have a state dinner, it is going to be great.”

The engagement will mark the King's inaugural State Visit to America since ascending to the throne.

Following the royal couple’s time in the US, the King will travel to Bermuda without the Queen, marking his first official visit to a British Overseas Territory since becoming monarch.

This solo trip holds particular historical significance as it represents the first time a reigning King has visited the island.

King Charles last set foot in Bermuda in 1970 during his time as Prince of Wales.

The late Queen Elizabeth II made her final sovereign visit to the territory in November 2009.

More recently, the Duchess of Gloucester became the latest member of the Royal Family to travel to Bermuda, having visited in October 2025.

During his years as Prince of Wales, King Charles visited the United States on 19 separate occasions, including a joint official tour with Camilla in 2005.

The late Queen Elizabeth II conducted four outward State Visits to America throughout her reign, travelling there in 1957, 1976, 1991 and 2007.

In the opposite direction, four US Presidents have made inward State Visits to the United Kingdom since 1952, with visits taking place in 2003, 2011, 2019 and most recently in 2025.