King Charles and Queen Camilla touched down in New York on Wednesday to take part in ceremonies remembering the victims of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, marking the third day of a four-day state visit to the United States.
The royal couple's arrival in New York followed a full day in Washington on Tuesday. There, Charles delivered an address to a joint meeting of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, met privately with President Donald Trump, and held discussions with leaders from the United States technology sector.
At a White House state dinner on Tuesday evening, President Trump said the king had expressed support for an end to Iran's nuclear program. Because the sovereign is not a government spokesman, it could not be confirmed that the king made such a statement to the president. Downing Street and Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Ceremony at the 9/11 Memorial
The royal day in New York began with a formal ceremony at the 9/11 memorial in lower Manhattan, the site where the twin towers of the World Trade Center were destroyed by al-Qaeda suicide bombers on September 11, 2001. The attacks resulted in the deaths of nearly 2,800 people.
Charles is expected to meet New York City's mayor, Zohran Mamdani, at the memorial event. The engagement is framed as a moment of remembrance and public solidarity with victims' families and the wider New York community.
Community and cultural engagements
Following the memorial ceremony, the king will travel to Harlem to visit a grassroots organization that has developed a sustainable after-school urban farming initiative aimed at tackling food insecurity, according to local media reports. Such community-led agricultural projects have been a long-standing interest of the king.
Meanwhile, Queen Camilla will take part in a literary engagement to mark the 100th birthday of A.A. Milne's fictional character Winnie the Pooh on behalf of her charity, The Queen's Reading Room. Buckingham Palace described the event as a celebration tied to the queen consort's philanthropic work.
Context of the state visit
The New York engagements occur amid heightened tensions in bilateral relations between the United States and the United Kingdom. President Trump has repeatedly criticized UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for what the president says is insufficient assistance in the prosecution of the Iran war.
In his congressional address on Tuesday, Charles highlighted the historical military and cultural links that bind the United Kingdom and the United States. The visit is officially framed as part of celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of America's declaration of independence from British rule.
At the same time, the king emphasized the significance of NATO at a moment when President Trump has voiced reservations about the alliance's reluctance to provide military support to the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. Charles warned against retreating into isolationism, saying, "I pray with all my heart that our lands will continue to defend our shared values with our partners in Europe and the Commonwealth, and across the world, and that we ignore the clarion calls to become ever more inward-looking." The remarks were delivered to the joint meeting of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives.
The remainder of the state visit will continue to unfold over the coming days as the royal party completes a mix of ceremonial, community and cultural engagements in the United States.