King Charles III and Queen Camilla have arrived in the United States for a four-day state visit despite heightened security concerns following the alleged a$$assination attempt on Donald Trump.

The visit proceeded after reports that shots were fired during a Washington press dinner on Saturday night, prompting the evacuation of the US president and several senior politicians from the hotel venue.

The royal couple landed on Monday night, April 27, after security and operational adjustments were reportedly made to ensure the trip could continue safely.

As part of events marking the 250th anniversary of US independence, the King and Queen travelled in a motorcade to meet Trump and Melania Trump for afternoon tea at the White House. The four posed briefly for photographs before continuing with a private meeting indoors.

A palace spokesperson said discussions had taken place “on both sides of the Atlantic” before the decision was made for the visit to proceed as planned, adding that the King and Queen were grateful to those who worked quickly to make the trip possible.

While most engagements are expected to go ahead, some activities have reportedly been adjusted for security reasons.

Trump is also expected to hold a private Oval Office meeting with King Charles on Tuesday, April 28, departing from the televised format that has characterised many of his recent meetings with foreign leaders.

The trip marks the first state visit to the US by a British monarch since Queen Elizabeth II visited in 2007, and also King Charles’ first official trip to the US since his coronation in 2022.