King Charles made Melania Trump giggle while visiting the new White House beehive as the monarch attempted to renew fractious Anglo-American relations.
Charles and Camilla, together with President Donald Trump and his wife, viewed the beehive in the shape of the White House that the First Lady had installed last week.
The beehive on the lawn appeared to fascinate the King and Queen, who are both keen apiarists and have sold their own homegrown honey for charity over the years
Formally established in 2009, the beekeeping programme supports the pollination of nearby gardens while serving as an ‘enduring feature’ of the White House grounds.
The honey is used in preparing food at the White House, as well as serving as official gifts from the Trumps and supporting charitable donations to local food kitchens.
The beehive is also intended to be an educational feature and give South Lawn visitors the chance to look at a working colony and learn about pollination.
Before the new beehive was installed, the existing two hive populations could reach 70,000 bees, producing up to 225lbs of honey in a good summer.
The latest addition will allow production to increase to up to 255lbs of honey, with the produce known for light clover and basswood flavor, with a hint of citrus.
Today, the King will use a speech to Congress to say the story of the UK and US since America’s independence is ‘one of the greatest alliances in human history’ where the two nations find ways to ‘come together’.
His address on the second day of his state visit to both Houses is likely to be seen as acknowledging tensions between Mr Trump and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who have clashed over the American leader’s war against Iran.
Charles will also reflect that defending common ideals is ‘crucial for liberty and equality’, as is the rule of law, which lies at the heart of both nations’ democratic traditions and shared economic prosperity.
He is also expected to make brief reference to the gun attack at a Washington DC dinner attended by the US president on Saturday night and in a show of solidarity and support offer ‘the highest regard and friendship of the British people to the people of the United States’ on the 250th anniversary of American independence.
It is only the second time a British monarch has addressed a joint meeting of Congress, the first being Queen Elizabeth II in 1991.
In a nod to recent tensions, which have seen Mr Trump lambast Britain, Charles will reflect that while the UK and US have not always agreed on all matters over the past 250 years, the foundations of their ‘democratic, legal and social traditions’ – stretching all the way back to the Magna Carta – are such that ‘time and again, our two countries have always found ways to come together’.
He is also set to point out how the US and UK have stood together through moments that have defined their shared history and that ‘our defence, intelligence and security ties are measured not in years but in decades’.
Against the backdrop of global uncertainty and the challenge it poses, the King is also expected to say that by defending and reaffirming these common values and ideals, both nations can promote security and prosperity both now and in the future for the benefit of the world.
And talking about his own faith, he will express his belief that in the hearts of the two countries lies ‘a generosity of spirit and a duty to foster compassion, to promote peace, to deepen mutual understanding and to value people of all faiths and none’.
Charles is also set to reference the importance of the trade and technology deals that will play a vital part in the countries’ continued economic partnership, while also hailing America’s many natural wonders, and stressing how important it is to defend and protect ‘nature’s own economy’.
He is expected to conclude by noting that the story of both nations over the last 250 years is one of ‘reconciliation and renewal’, giving rise to ‘one of the greatest alliances in human history’, which he hoped would continue to safeguard their shared values long into the future.
The speech, which is written on the advice of the Government, is expected to last 20 minutes.
It comes as the royal couple continue their four-day state visit to the US, where they will also be guests of honour at a White House banquet.
The King ended the first day of the much-anticipated visit yesterday by chatting to former Olympic diving champion Tom Daley about their shared love of knitting.
Charles met the retired star during a Washington garden party, where Camilla spoke to leading figures from domestic abuse charities and in a lighter moment confessed to feeling ‘jet lagged’.
Before the garden party began, Camilla confessed she was ‘quite jet lagged’ when she met organisers of a time capsule created to mark America’s 250th independence anniversary celebrations this year, and saw some of its contents with the King.
During the open-air soiree in the gardens of the official residence of Sir Christian Turner, the UK’s ambassador to the US, Camilla chatted to charity bosses working to combat child exploitation and sexual abuse.
Charles and Camilla are not able to meet victims and survivors of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein during their four-day visit due to ongoing legal cases, including the arrest of the King’s brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Michelle DeLaune, chief executive of the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, praised the Queen as ‘wonderful’ for ‘raising awareness’ and getting ‘dialogue going’.
The Trumps host the King and Queen for tea in the Green Room of the White House yesterday
King Charles speaks with Nancy Pelosi and Paul Pelosi at the White House garden party
The King and Queen are greeted by US Protocol Chief Monica Crowley at Joint Base Andrews
King Charles and Queen Camilla with Donald and Melania Trump at the White House beehive
King Charles speaks with the White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller
The President walks with the King upon his arrival at the South Portico of the White House
King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrive at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland yesterday
Charles and Camilla with Donald and Melania Trump as they view the White House beehive
Donald and Melania Trump walk on the South Lawn with King Charles and Queen Camilla
She added: ‘There are many people suffering in silence and having people, someone like her, to look up to gives a sense it’s not so isolating.’
Asked about whether the King and Queen should have met victims and survivors of Epstein, she said: ‘I think it has to be a choice of individuals, for King and Queen.
‘I think the voices of victims and survivors are not only heard but progress made, we will continue working to ensure we are bringing voices loud and clear.’
Among the guests were treasury secretary Scott Bessent, senator Ted Cruz, former speaker Nancy Pelosi, current speaker of the House Mike Johnson and the Prince of Wales’s school friend Guy Pelly.
Former Olympic diving champion and celebrity knitter Mr Daley was among the 650 guests, as was football star Esme Morgan, a European title-winning Lioness who plays for Washington Spirit.
Mr Daley, 31, who lives in LA with his husband and two children, jetted in for the day to attend the garden party.
He said: ‘Knitting is my outlet for all my creativity, my mindfulness and my meditation and the King has tried knitting many a time.
‘He said he tried knitting when he was eight and he wasn’t very good but he said he might pick it back up – he knows it’s very good for mental health.
‘But I want to try and get it back into the school curriculum and maybe he can help me do that.’
