King Charles will visit Donald Trump next month, palace confirms

King Charles is set to make his first state visit to the United States next month, despite some calls to postpone the trip due to concerns about the Iran war. Buckingham Palace announced on Tuesday that King Charles and Queen Camilla will travel to the US following advice from the UK government and an invitation from US President Donald Trump. The palace stated, “Their Majesties’ programme will celebrate the historic ties and contemporary relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States, marking the 250th anniversary of American Independence.” Although the visit was only confirmed today, British media has speculated about the King’s trip to Washington for several weeks. However, a rising number of lawmakers in the UK are questioning whether it is wise for Charles to proceed with the visit, with some suggesting it should be canceled or delayed as the conflict in the Middle East continues into its second month. This late April visit will be King Charles' first state trip to the US, coming after Trump has publicly criticized the UK government regarding its stance on the war involving the US and Israel with Iran. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer restated his position on Monday, saying, “This is not our war and we’re not going to get drawn into it.” He added, “What we have done is taken defensive action: we’ve had our pilots in the air shortly after the war began, protecting British lives, British interests, and, of course, our allies in the region,” according to reports from Britain’s PA Media news agency. Following his visit to the US, King Charles will head to Bermuda for his first visit as a monarch to a British Overseas Territory, the palace confirmed.