King Charles III and Queen Camilla carried out a packed schedule in New York City on Wednesday, which included a solemn visit to the 9/11 memorial, meetings with schoolchildren and business leaders, and appearances alongside public figures.
The trip marks the first time a reigning British monarch has visited the city in 16 years.
The royal couple began the day at the National 9/11 Memorial, where King Charles laid flowers in honour of the nearly 3,000 victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks, among them 67 British nationals.
The visit formed part of a wider four-day diplomatic tour to the United States tied to commemorations marking 250 years of American independence.
At the memorial site in Lower Manhattan, they were received by former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg before walking to one of the twin reflecting pools.
There, the King placed floral tributes on a parapet inscribed with victims’ names, followed by a quiet moment of reflection shared with the Queen.
The couple then met survivors, first responders and families of victims, many of whom held photographs of lost loved ones.
The emotional encounter comes ahead of the 25th anniversary of the attacks.
Security across the area was significantly tightened, with rooftop snipers, blocked intersections and restricted public access around the memorial plaza.
Several prominent officials attended the ceremony, including New York Governor Kathy Hochul, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani briefly greeted the King, with both exchanging cordial remarks during a short interaction.
Earlier, Mamdani had indicated that the focus should remain on remembrance, though he separately remarked that under different circumstances he might have raised the issue of the Koh-i-Noor diamond, a historic gemstone housed among the British Crown Jewels at the Tower of London.
One of the victims’ relatives, Anthoula Katsimatides, who lost her brother in the attacks, described the royal encounter as warm and personal.
“I found it extremely sweet that I was allowed to hug the queen,” she said. “She was quite endearing, as was the king. I also told him that I thought he was adorable.” Katsimatides said the queen asked her if she visited the memorial often.
“I said that I do because I find it to be a place of peace and calm and also remembrance,” Katsimatides said.
Following the memorial visit, King Charles toured a youth-focused urban farming initiative in Harlem known as Harlem Grown. At the 134th Street Farm, he participated in planting herbs, observed a chicken coop, and watched a nutrition demonstration aimed at educating children about healthy eating.
During the visit, a student complimented the monarch’s appearance, prompting a light-hearted exchange: “I like your hair,” the student said. The King replied, “Do you? Good.”
Later in the day, he attended a business reception at Rockefeller Center, where executives from major companies including Google, OpenAI, JPMorgan Chase and Comcast were present.
Queen Camilla, meanwhile, visited the New York Public Library, where she toured collections and met actress Sarah Jessica Parker during a walk-through of the building. Onlookers gathered along Fifth Avenue as she moved through the facility.
As part of her visit, Camilla presented a new Roo doll to the library’s celebrated collection of Winnie-the-Pooh characters. The original set of stuffed animals inspired A.A. Milne’s classic stories and has been part of the library’s children’s literature archive since 1987. The new addition marks the centenary celebrations of the beloved franchise.
Earlier in the week, the King and Queen had participated in engagements at the White House with US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. King Charles also delivered a rare address to Congress, becoming the first British monarch since 1991 to do so, followed by a formal state dinner.
The royal itinerary continues with scheduled visits to Virginia before concluding with a farewell event at the White House on Thursday. King Charles will then travel independently to Bermuda on his first visit there as monarch.
Their final engagement in New York on Wednesday evening was a gala reception at Rockefeller Center, where singer Lionel Richie introduced the King. Also in attendance were fashion icon Anna Wintour, business figure Martha Stewart, and designer Donatella Versace.
Closing his remarks, the King added a light comment about Richie’s performance, saying: “I don’t know how he does it. He must gargle with port or something.”
