King Charles arrives in Washington for state visit fraught with tension

King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Monday for a state visit in Washington, a city still rattled by a weekend shooting and a transatlantic alliance showing fresh signs of strain. British flags could be seen lining lamp-posts outside the White House, where Donald Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, were set to host the royals for a private tea and a tour of the newly expanded White House beehive on the south lawn. “First Lady Melania Trump has led all of the preparations for the state visit which will honour the longstanding and special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom,” Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, told reporters on Monday . But the four-day tour, intended to mark the 250th anniversary of US independence, begins against the backdrop of a diplomatic rift over Trump’s war in Iran and a dramatic security scare at last Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. A gunman opened fire inside the Washington Hilton hotel, prompting Secret Service agents to rush the president from the dais. Officials believe the president and members of his administration were the likely targets and the incident prompted an urgent review of security arrangements before the king’s arrival. For Charles, the posture will be “keep calm and carry on”. Buckingham Palace said the visit would proceed after consultations with US authorities. …