King Charles III and Queen Camilla concluded their four-day official visit to the United States on April 30, 2026, with a formal farewell event at the White House alongside President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump in Washington, D.C.
In their official farewell message, the King and Queen expressed deep gratitude to the American people for “the warm welcome and gracious support” extended to them during their trip — which coincided with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Their Majesties said they left “a piece of our hearts behind” and took “a little bit of yours back home with us,” reflecting on a visit that included a meeting with President Trump and a historic address before a joint session of the U.S. Congress — the first by a British monarch since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991.
Their message closed with the heartfelt sign-off: “Until next time… God bless America.”
As the royal couple departed, President Trump announced he would lift all tariffs and import restrictions on Scotch whisky in honor of the visit. He remarked that the pair had “inspired me to do something no one else could — without even asking.”
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson responded by conveying the King’s “sincere thanks” to the President and adding that His Majesty would “raise a dram in tribute to the President’s thoughtfulness.”
The tour — which included stops in Washington, D.C., New York City, and Virginia — has been widely praised by commentators as a diplomatic success, particularly highlighting the King’s congressional speech and the whisky tariff decision.
The visit had initially been viewed as diplomatically delicate, taking place amid heightened U.S.-led tensions in Iran and following President Trump’s sharp criticism of NATO — including his comment that the alliance “wasn’t there when we needed it.” Yet on Thursday, Trump welcomed King Charles as “the greatest King” and reportedly referred to the royal couple as “remarkable people.”