Trump, First Lady Host Arrival Ceremony for King Charles, Queen Camilla

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump hosted King Charles III of the United Kingdom and Queen Camilla for a historic state visit arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on Tuesday.

Thousands of guests waited patiently in the rain on a cold April morning under a very British-looking gray sky, many waving American and British flags.

The Trumps walked out of the White House while the president’s Marine Corps Band played “Hail to the Chief.” King Charles and Queen Camilla emerged to the tune of “Jubilant Fanfare.”

A 21-gun salute echoed through the air while the band played the British and U.S. national anthems.

The president welcomed the king and queen to the White House during remarks to the audience and thanked the royal family for their hospitality when he was honored with his second state visit to the UK last year.

“Melania and I will never forget the spectacular honor your majesties showed us during our extraordinary visit to Windsor Castle last September,” Trump said. “Now it is our tremendous privilege to host you, and you’re going to have a wonderful, short stay.”

The king scheduled a four-day trip to the United States, coinciding with the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations. The president highlighted the two nations’ special relationship, emphasizing the unique ties between their populations and historical connections.

“The American patriots who pledged their lives to independence in 1776 were the heirs to this majestic inheritance,” Trump said.

Honor guard formations representing each branch of the military, including the Space Force for the first time, were inspected by the president and king.

Four F-35 jets roared overhead, flying by the Executive Mansion while the president, first lady, king, and queen observed from the Truman Balcony.

Continuing a longstanding tradition, the leaders exchanged gifts, with the king giving Trump a framed print of the design plans for the Resolute Desk from 1879, exquisite drawings showing the construction of the desk used by the president in the Oval Office.

The president gifted the king a facsimile letter from historic 1785 correspondence between Founding Fathers John Adams and John Jay, where Adams comments on King George III receiving him as the first U.S. ambassador to Great Britain. King George III is the fifth great-grandfather of King Charles III.

A special gift basket from the first lady to the queen included six Tiffany’s silver teaspoons and White House Honey. The queen brought a brooch made by British jewelry designer Fiona Mae for the first lady.

The two women walked to the tennis courts for an event with students about using technology to advance education. Some used virtual reality goggles to view landmarks in the UK, including Buckingham Palace, the Giant’s Causeway, and Stonehenge, while others wore Meta glasses to inspect American artifacts, including a bronze bust of UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s situation map from World War II, and ceramics from Staffordshire, England.

Students received copies of Michael Morpurgo’s “War Horse” from the queen and a unique challenge coin from the first lady.

More events are slated for the rest of the day, including the king addressing a joint meeting of congress before returning to the White House for a state dinner.