NEW YORK — Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla made their way to New York City on Wednesday during their highly anticipated diplomatic mission to the United States.
The royal pair’s visit to the Big Apple occurred at the halfway point of their four-day journey celebrating America’s 250th anniversary of independence. This marks the first time a sitting British monarch has set foot in New York since Queen Elizabeth II’s 2010 visit.
The couple participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the National September 11th Memorial, where they had the opportunity to meet first responders and family members of those who perished in the terrorist attacks. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and other officials were also present at the ceremony, which took place as the nation approaches the 25th anniversary of the tragic events.
Following the memorial service, Queen Camilla made her way to the New York Public Library to present a new “Roo” stuffed animal to complement the library’s renowned Winnie-the-Pooh collection, marking the beloved character’s 100th birthday this year.
The library currently displays five cherished dolls — Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore and Kanga — which served as the creative foundation for A.A. Milne’s classic children’s stories. These toys belonged to the British writer’s son, the real Christopher Robin, during the 1920s. The library received the dolls as a gift in 1987, and they now serve as a highlight of its children’s literature archive. In Milne’s stories, Roo appears as a small brown kangaroo who is Kanga’s offspring.
During the same timeframe, King Charles visited an after-school urban agriculture program that serves youth dealing with food insecurity, and later met with business and financial executives in Manhattan.
The royal duo then attended an evening reception for the King’s Trust, a charitable organization Charles established in 1976.
This four-day journey represents Charles’ inaugural state visit to America since ascending to the throne. His late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, completed four state visits to the United States during her reign.
On Monday, the monarchs shared tea with President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at the White House.
Tuesday’s schedule included a private Oval Office discussion between Charles and Trump. The king subsequently addressed Congress in a historic speech — the first delivered by a British monarch since his mother’s 1991 appearance — before attending an official state dinner at the White House.
The royal itinerary also includes planned stops in Virginia before concluding their American visit with a formal White House farewell ceremony on Thursday hosted by Trump. Charles will then travel alone to Bermuda for his first royal visit to a British overseas territory since becoming king.
