The King and Queen have arrived in Washington DC for a four-day state visit, with Camilla wearing a brooch symbolising Anglo-American unity. The brooch, pinned to her chest, features the American stars and stripes crossed with the Union flag.
The visit is the most significant foreign trip of the King’s reign so far, coming at a time of strained relations between the UK Prime Minister and US President Donald Trump. The monarchy’s soft power is seen as a key tool in supporting UK interests abroad.
The start of the historic trip has been overshadowed by an attempted assassination of President Trump at a Washington media dinner on Saturday night. The UK’s ambassador to the US, Sir Christian Turner, confirmed that “all appropriate security measures” are in place following discussions between UK and US security teams.
Camilla wore a pink Dior coat dress and a brooch originally presented to Queen Elizabeth II during her 1957 state visit to the US. The royal couple were greeted by dignitaries including Sir Christian and children of British military families, before passing through an honour cordon of US military personnel.
The King and Queen will later meet President Trump and the First Lady for tea at the White House.
