President Donald Trump delivered a heartfelt farewell to King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Thursday, concluding a historic four-day visit with high praise for the British monarchy.
As the first-ever state visit by the King and Queen drew to a close, the President and First Lady Melania Trump hosted a final formal send-off at the White House, complete with a welcome fit for royalty.
The camaraderie between the two couples appeared stronger than ever. The Trumps eagerly awaited on the portico to greet the royal motorcade, extending a warm welcome to King Charles and Queen Camilla as they stepped out of their vehicle.
During their final goodbyes, a lip reader, Nicola Hickling, shared with the Daily Mail that she witnessed an unusually open exchange between the couples.
The First Lady took a moment to offer her wishes for King Charles’s family in the United Kingdom. Melania was observed saying, “Thank you. I wish you well and hope you have a good flight. Good luck with everything, and enjoy yourself.”
She specifically asked the King to convey her affection to “Catherine and William and their children,” while gently advising him to “take some time for you.”
Body language expert Judi James tells the Daily Mail that this exchange was the strongest signal of ‘authentic closeness’ during the farewell as Charles stepped across to kiss Melania on both cheeks.
‘The way he clutched her upper arms and his proximity for the kiss made this the kind of ritual he normally reserves for female relatives, suggesting some genuine levels of warmth,’ James detailed.
During their final moments together, President Trump was seen asking the King, ‘Are you going to come to Turnberry in a few months?’ King Charles laughed and replied, ‘No, I’m not,’ prompting Trump to persist with, ‘Aww. Come over for a chat.’
The King, scratching his neck, noted he had a ‘busy schedule,’ though Trump remained optimistic, saying, ‘I will see you.’ This prompted the King to ask, ‘You mean what you say, don’t you?’ to which the President affirmed, ‘I do, yes. I’ll be coming over for a couple of weeks.’
President Donald Trump bid a stirring farewell to King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Thursday, capping off a historic four-day whirlwind tour with a glowing endorsement of the British monarchy
As the sun set on the first-ever state visit by the King and Queen, the President and First Lady Melania Trump rolled out the red carpet at the White House one last time for a final, formal send-off
Melania was seen saying, ‘Thank you. I wish you well and hope you have a good flight. Good luck with everything, and enjoy yourself’
Trump watched as the motorcade pulled away, later telling reporters, ‘Great people. We need more people like that in our country’
As they shared a firm and warm handshake, Trump wished him well, saying, ‘I wish you well and hope you have a good flight. Say hello to the family. Your visit was important to us.’
Trump turned to Queen Camilla to offer his own parting words, telling her, ‘It’s been very good to have you here. Have a safe flight. I’d like to see you again when we come over,’ a sentiment the Queen acknowledged with a nod.
As the royal car began to move, Queen Camilla rolled down her window and waved goodbye again to the Trumps, a final gesture of friendship before departing the executive mansion.
Trump watched as the motorcade pulled away, later telling reporters, ‘Great people. We need more people like that in our country.’
The departure brings an end to four days during which King Charles followed in the footsteps of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who made four state visits to the US during her record-breaking reign.
The trip was filled with significant milestones, including a somber pilgrimage to the National 9/11 Memorial on Wednesday, where the King and Queen honored the victims of the 2001 terror attacks.
Earlier in the week, Charles delivered a truly historic speech to Congress, navigating delicate international tensions and celebrating America’s upcoming semi-quincentennial, marking 250 years of independence.
The royals are finishing their trip by laying a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery, attending a parade and block party in Front Royal, and then capping it off by visiting Shenandoah National Park.
The departure brings an end to four days during which King Charles followed in the footsteps of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who made four state visits to the US during her record-breaking reign
The First Lady also shared a poignant moment with King Charles, expressing her well-wishes for his family back in the United Kingdom. Melania was seen saying, ‘Thank you. I wish you well and hope you have a good flight. Good luck with everything, and enjoy yourself’
As they reemerged to exchange their final goodbyes, lip reader Nicola Hickling tells the Daily Mail that she observed a remarkably candid exchange between the couples
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are seen during farewell ceremony at the White House on day four of the State Visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla
Earlier in the week, King Charles delighted his White House audience Tuesday with a cheeky toast as he was hosted by President Trump and the First Lady at a dazzling state dinner
Ivanka Trump wore baby blue Reem Acra to Tuesday night’s state dinner
Earlier in the week, King Charles delighted his White House audience Tuesday with a cheeky toast as he was hosted by President Trump and the First Lady at a dazzling state dinner.
The event marked the first state dinner of the President’s second term – and was to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday.
Both Trump and the King made comments about their countries’ shared backstories, with Charles calling the fete a ‘very considerable improvement on the Boston Tea Party’.
The King also called attention to the President’s ‘readjustments’ to the East Wing, which is no longer standing.
‘I’m sorry to say that we British, of course, made our own small attempt at real estate redevelopment of the White House in 1814,’ the King joked.
He also noted how the President recently said, ‘that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German’.
‘Dare I say it, if it wasn’t for us, you’d be speaking French,’ Charles said, cracking up the President and his guests.
The King then unveiled an extraordinarily personal gift for the President during his toast – a large gold bell that hung from the conning tower of HMS Trump, a Royal Navy submarine that fought in the Battle of the Pacific in the Second World War.
The President and the First Lady toast King Charles at the state dinner
Trump gives a toast in the East Room during Tuesday night’s state dinner with Charles and Camilla
King Charles and Trump share a laugh at the White House state dinner, where the monarch filled his speech with jokes – including about the Boston Tea Party
Queen Camilla, King Charles III, US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump pose on the Grand Staircase during an official state dinner at the White House in Washington DC
‘May it stand as a testament to our nations’ shared history and shining future,’ the King said of the gift. ‘And should you ever need to get hold of us, well, just give us a ring,’ the monarch quipped.
The gift echoed one from Queen Elizabeth II of the bicentennial Liberty Bell on her visit to the US in 1976.
Despite some clear policy differences expressed by the King in his speech to Congress earlier in the day, Trump kicked off the dinner by complimenting it.
‘He made a great speech,’ Trump said during a brief welcome ceremony on the South Lawn. ‘I was very jealous.’
