Fashion, billionaires and jokes: Inside the White House state dinner for the King and Queen

The night was filled with designer fashion, luscious bouquets, billionaire guests and joke-filled speeches. Inside the menu and fashion at White House state dinner for King and Queen How the King and Queen spent their second day in the US Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Queen Camilla, King Charles III, U.S. President Donald Trump, and First Lady Melania Trump pose at the base of the Grand Staircase during an official state dinner hosted by the President and First Lady at The White House on day two of the State Visit Fashion, billionaires and jokes: Inside the White House state dinner for the King and Queen Watch: Washington rolls out the red carpet for the King and Queen Splitscreen. Left, Charles speaks to Congress. Right, Trump and Charles pal around at the state dinner. Shades of pink set the tone for the evening as US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed King Charles and Queen Camilla to the White House, with a foyer draped in cherry blossoms creating the ceremonial backdrop. Champagne flutes clinked as the president and the King raised toasts to one another, celebrating the deep-rooted ties and shared history between the countries. The state dinner honoured the enduring relationship between the US and the UK, coinciding with Americans marking 250 years of independence. In his remarks, Trump described the bond with the UK as a "friendship unlike any other on Earth". King says UK and US partnership 'more important' than ever in US Congress address Trump and King Charles crack jokes and honour bond in speeches The dinner opened with a speech by the US president, thanking the UK for the "great, great gift" of a rich inheritance, adding that most of Britain's former colonies do not know what they owe to it. Trump then raised a toast to 250 years of American freedom and to King Charles, calling him a "great man". He said the two countries have stood together "defiant and triumphant against the forces of communism, fascism and tyranny". King Charles presented the president with a bell from the tower of the HMS Trump, a Royal Navy submarine first launched in 1944 that served in the Battle of the Pacific during WW2. In his own remarks, the monarch said it was a sign of "our shared history and shining future", joking, "if you ever need to get hold of us….just give us a ring". The King concluded his speech by thanking Trump for a "wonderful dinner," quipping that it was "a considerable improvement on the Boston Tea Party". During his toast, Trump called the bond with the UK a "friendship unlike any other on Earth" US President Donald Trump speaks at a golden eagle lectern King Charles presented Trump with a personal gift King Charles III makes remarks in the East Room King Charles shares a toast with President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump King Charles shares a toast with US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump during a State Dinner in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 28, 2026. The first lady led the preparations for the dinner, according to the White House. The meal began with a garden herb velouté paired with a hearts of palm salad, followed by a ravioli dish featuring herbs from the White House garden. The main course was a classic dover sole meunière, bathed in nutty brown butter. For dessert, the VIPs were served a sweet beehive-shaped chocolate gâteau with a vanilla bean crémeux custard. The White House said the decor was inspired by English gardens, with the room featuring towering trees and blossoming boxes of lilac. Tables were dressed in green linens and had seasonal spring bouquets featuring butterfly ranunculus, phlox, and lily of the valley. Place settings included more than 250 pieces of vermeil from the White House collection, alongside hand-painted menus. Trump welcomes King Charles and Queen Camilla in a room inspired by English gardens US Donald Trump speaks as he hosts Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla during a State Dinner in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 28, 2026. The tables were set with more than 250 pieces of vermeil US Supreme Court Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh (2nd-L) attends a State Dinner with US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 28, 2026. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images) A menu and place setting set for the state dinner A menu and place setting during a state dinner for Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 28, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein Beyond the guests of honour - the King and Queen - the White House invited more than 100 people. This list included the president's cabinet, the King's aides, Republican lawmakers, six Supreme Court justices, television hosts, billionaire business owners and prominent conservative allies. Among those from the Supreme Court were Justices Samuel Alito, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, John Roberts and Clarence Thomas. Other high-profile guests to arrive were technology leaders who had earlier met the King at Blair House, including Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, accompanied by his wife Lauren Sanchez, and Apple CEO Tim Cook. Fox News hosts Greg Gutfeld, Laura Ingraham and Bret Baier were also in attendance. Professional golfer Rory McIlroy, US fashion designer Ralph Lauren, and billionaire businessman Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, were among others on the guest list. Apple CEO Tim Cook was escorted through a crowd as he arrived to the White House Apple CEO Tim Cook arrives at the White House ahead of the arrival of Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla for a state dinner hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 28, 2026. Jeff Bezos arrived to the dinner with his wife Lauren Sanchez Jeff Bezos is seen walking outside the White House with his wife Lauren Sanchez. They are both in black tie attire. US Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was one of several justices at the dinner U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh attends a state dinner hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump for King Charles III and Queen Camilla in the East Room of the White House on April 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other politicians were also in attendance US Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens to US President Donald Trump speak during a State Dinner in honor of Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 28, 2026. (Photo by Henry Nicholls / AFP via Getty Images) In his comments, Trump praised golfer Rory McIlroy, who was also at the dinner The dress code for the evening was white tie attire, the most formal dress code. The first lady wore a pale delphinium pink silk strapless gown by Christian Dior Haute Couture, with off-white Dior suede gloves. She paired that with Dior pale delphinium silk pumps. Queen Camilla donned a deep pink Fiona Clare evening gown. That was paired with an amethyst and diamond necklace gifted by a former Duchess of Kent to Queen Victoria and then passed to Queen Mary. The King and president wore black tailcoats and white shirts. The monarch paired his with a blue sash and medals. The dress code for the evening was white tie attire Queen Camilla, King Charles III, U.S. President Donald Trump, and First Lady Melania Trump pose outside during an official state dinner First lady Melania Trump welcomes Queen Camilla at the South Portico First lady Melania Trump welcomes Queen Camilla at the South Portico as they arrive for a state dinner at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 28, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein Queen Camilla and first lady Melania Trump enter the White House Queen Camilla, King Charles III, U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump enter The White House during an official state dinner hosted by the President and First Lady on day two of the State Visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the United States of America, on April 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. King Charles smiles and looks straight ahead. He is wearing a pinstripe navy suit, a white shirt, a silver tie and a silver pocket square. His left hand is lifted up slightly and he has a black and gold watch on it. His pinky finger on his left hand has a large gold ring. On his left side is Queen Camilla. She is wearing a bright red blazer with a cross-shaped broach. She is wearing a red hat that matches the blazer. She is also looking straight ahead and smiling. What to know about King Charles's state visit to US Prince Charles and singer Barbra Streisand in 1974 With presidents, cowboys and A-listers - King Charles pictured in US over the years King Charles wears a sandy-coloured overcoat and white shirt while attending a service at the Church of St Mary the Virgin, close to the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England, on 26 January, 2025. What does King Charles do and who else is in the Royal Family? The photo shows William and Catherine lying in grass with their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. As the UK's head of state, King Charles has number of parliamentary and constitutional duties. He tells US lawmakers his address comes the two nations' relationship is "more important" than ever "in times of great uncertainty". The King and the US president exchanged several jokes during their speeches at a state banquet. There were some lines in the speech that may have buoyed Democrats – and raised eyebrows in the White House. Merrythought, in Ironbridge, says it is an honour to have been asked to make Roo for the Queen. BBC's Regan Morris reports from outside the comedian's show on Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles. During the White House state dinner, the King gifted the US president a bell from his WW2 submarine namesake, 'HMS Trump'.