On Friday, First Lady Melania Trump offered a glimpse into the anticipation surrounding King Charles’ impending visit by sharing a seldom-seen video showcasing the White House’s preparations.
King Charles, accompanied by Queen Camilla, is scheduled to be in the United States from April 27 to 30.
This occasion will be King Charles’ inaugural visit to the U.S. since ascending to the British throne and coincides with President Trump’s first state dinner at the White House in his second term.
In the monochrome video shared on her @FirstLadyOffice account, Melania is captured sifting through documents, reviewing invitations, and examining place settings alongside potential floral arrangements.
The video is tagged with the phrase “Precision in every detail.”
The post is adorned with the flags of America and Britain, as well as the date of the state dinner set for April 28.
The video hints that the state dinner will take place within the White House – likely in the East Room or the State Dining Room space.
The President has used the upcoming royal visit to push for his White House ballroom project, mocking previous administrations for hosting state dinners on the South Lawn in tents.
The First Lady’s office released a short teaser video on Friday that showed First Lady Melania Trump preparing for King Charles’ state dinner, which will take place in late April
The video showed possible flowers for the state visit (left) and a glimpse of a place setting (right) as the Trumps entertain the British royals for a state visit from April 27 through 30
That became commonplace especially when the dinners were planned by Democratic First Ladies Michelle Obama and Jill Biden.
‘Many of you have gone to the tent when we have a president of a big country or somebody being honored of great distinction,’ Trump told reporters Tuesday.
‘And they sit in a tent, and if it rains, you get soaked, because the grass gets wet here very fast.’
Trump then brought up Charles’ visit.
‘We don’t want him to sit in a pool of water,’ the President said.
There was some speculation that the President and First Lady would host the British royals off-campus in Washington due to the ballroom construction.
Currently, large cranes loom over the White House.
Trump has told audiences at the White House that the First Lady has complained about the construction noise.
President Gerald Ford (right) toasts Queen Elizabeth (center) alongside Vice President Nelson Rockefeller (left) under a tented Rose Garden at the royal’s bicentennial state visit in 1976
President Donald Trump (center right) hosted Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison (center left) for a state dinner in the Rose Garden in September 2019. He refused to use a tent
Additionally, the traditional entryway for state dinner guests, the ‘booksellers’ hall, was demolished along with the rest of the East Wing in October.
There’s some precedent for hosting state dinners away from the White House.
First Lady Jackie Kennedy did so in July 1961 when she took over George Washington’s estate, Mount Vernon, located across the Potomac in Virginia.
It marked the first time a state dinner was held outside of Washington, DC.
This dinner, however, was held under a tent.
Queen Elizabeth was previously hosted at the White House for a tented dinner.
During a July 1976 visit, her state dinner, hosted by President Gerald Ford, was held under a tent in the White House Rose Garden.
Trump used the Rose Garden for a state dinner too, when he hosted Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison for a visit in September 2019.
But Trump, no fan of tents, had the early fall dinner in the open air, and lucked out with the weather.
