Trumps host glamorous White House state dinner for King Charles and Queen Camilla

The state dinner saw guests arrive in their best white tie attire, a dress code that is a rarity in the White House and last seen for Queen Elizabeth II’s 2007 visit to the US. 

While men are expected to dress in a black tail coat, a waistcoat and a white bow tie, women will arrive in full-length evening gowns, with royals opting to wear a tiara.

The Queen looked beautiful in a long-sleeved pink Fiona Clare evening gown with a flared hemline and sparkling beads on the bodice. 

She completed the look with a silver clutch, silver bracelets and an eye-catching amethyst and diamond necklace gifted by a former Duchess of Kent to Queen Victoria, which was later passed to Queen Mary. 

Her husband arrived in a black tailcoat with a waistcoat and white bow tie, paired with a blue sash.

Meanwhile, Melania stunned in a structured, pale pink Dior Haute Couture gown with a gathered waist and one shoulder neckline, paired with off-white opera gloves and silver earrings. Trump wore a black tailcoat with a white waistcoat and white bow tie.

Trump took a moment to praise Charles’ historic speech in Congress, telling the press with a smile: “He made a great speech, I was very jealous.”

Diners at the glitzy dinner will enjoy a starter of delicate garden herb velouté, complemented by a hearts of palm salad, and finished with crisp toasted shallots and micro mint.

For the second course there is a handcrafted spring herb ravioli, with herbs from the White House Kitchen Garden, filled with creamy ricotta, morels, dressed with a light parmesan emulsion.

Diners will then be presented with a classic dover sole meunière, bathed in a nutty brown butter. It will be accompanied by sweet snow peas, layered potatoes pave and a parsley oil.

For dessert, guests will be served a sweet beehive shaped chocolate gâteau with a smooth vanilla bean cremeux custard, set inside with an almond joconde. The beehive will be complimented with creme fraiche ice cream and White House honey.

Wines were selected to complement the menu and reflect the shared heritage and enduring friendship between the US and UK.

They were a Hopkins Riesling “Heritage” 2024, Hopkins Vineyards, the Penner-Ash Pinot Noir “Willamette Valley” 2022, Penner-Ash Wine Cellars and the Newton Chardonnay “Unfiltered” 2022, Newton Vineyard.

The evening’s entertainment was provided by military musicians from the Marines, Army and Air Force, including the United States Marine Band, the United States Air Force Singing Sergeants, and the United States Army Chorus.

Notable guests at the state dinner include golf star Rory McIlroy, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and Apple CEO Tim Cook, as well as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and US special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.

Trump addressed the attendees of the state dinner in his speech on Tuesday night, and shared that he “couldn’t believe” the King’s speech prompted the Democrats to applaud him in Congress. 

“I’ve never been able to do that. I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “They liked him more than they’ve ever liked any Republican or Democrat, actually.”

Trump then raised a toast to the King. 

Charles addressed the room with a 13-minute-long speech, where he began by sharing his sympathies with Trump and Melania following the events at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. 

He then reflected on the UK’s lengthy history with the US, and touched on everything from the Boston Tea Party to  his mother’s previous visits to the States.

He added that his “family’s history remains reflected in your maps, which read rather like our Christmas card list across the ages – North and South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and the cities of Charleston (a particular favourite of mine, obviously), Georgetown (and, for that matter, Georgia),  Annapolis, and (further favourites) Prince William County and Williamsburg.”

He continued: “This said, our French friends can feel equally at home with a glance at a map. Indeed, you recently commented, Mr. President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German. Dare I say that, if it wasn’t for us, you’d be speaking French…!”