Britain's King Charles III and his wife Queen Camilla arrived in the United States for a four-day state visit, which takes on additional weight after the shooting during the White House correspondents' dinner and amid tensions between the two close allies, Reuters notes, quoted by BTA.
The visit - the most significant of Charles III's reign - is dedicated to the 250th anniversary of the declaration of US independence from Britain and is the first such visit by a British monarch to the country in two decades.
The royal couple landed at the “Andrews“ military base around 2:30 p.m. local time and headed to the White House for a private meeting with President Donald Trump and first lady Melania. The two couples will also hold an informal tea party.
The 77-year-old monarch, who is still undergoing treatment for cancer, will address the US Congress tomorrow - only the second time in history that a British monarch has addressed the US Congress.
After Washington, the royal couple will visit New York, where they will pay tribute to the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Queen Camilla will also take part in an event dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Winnie the Pooh stories.
The tour will end in Virginia, where the king will meet representatives of conservation organizations.
The government of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hopes the visit will strengthen the “special relationship“ between the two countries, which analysts say are at their lowest level since the Suez Crisis.
The British ambassador to Washington, Christian Turner, said the visit would highlight the shared history and values between the two countries, describing the approach as typically British: “Keep calm and carry on“.
Amid the visit, tensions remain high. An internal Pentagon email suggests that the US may reconsider its position on Britain's claim to the Falkland Islands in response to a lack of support on other issues, further straining relations.
The topic of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal also remains off the official agenda. Royal sources say no meetings with victims will be planned during the visit, to avoid influencing potential legal proceedings.
The king's brother, Prince Andrew, remains under police investigation over his links to the late financier, a charge he denies.