Fox News anchor Jesse Watters was among the guests invited to a lavish state dinner hosted by the White House for King Charles and Queen Camilla on Tuesday. Watters attended the event alongside his wife, Emma DiGiovine, a producer at the news network.
Fox News Contingent
The couple was joined by several Fox News colleagues, including Bret Baier, Maria Bartiromo, Greg Gutfeld, Laura Ingraham, and Fox & Friends co-hosts Ainsley Earhardt and Rachel Campos-Duffy. Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott also attended the historic dinner, which was covered by the White House press pool.
Evening Proceedings
The evening began with President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greeting the British royals during a brief ceremony on the South Lawn. Trump commended King Charles for his speech to Congress, telling the press, "He made a great speech. I was very jealous."
Attire and Decor
First Lady Melania Trump wore a pale delphinium pink silk strapless gown by Christian Dior Haute Couture, paired with off-white Dior suede gloves and matching Dior pumps. Queen Camilla donned a deep pink gown by Fiona Clare, accessorized with a historic amethyst and diamond necklace originally gifted by a former Duchess of Kent to Queen Victoria and later passed to Queen Mary. The White House decor was inspired by English gardens, with the East Room adorned with trees, blossoming garden boxes filled with lilac, and tables dressed in green pleated linens with lilac, butterfly ranunculus, phlox, and lily of the valley. Both Clinton and Bush china were used for the table settings.
Menu
Guests enjoyed a four-course meal. The first course was a hearts of palm salad with garden herb velouté, crisp toasted shallots, and micro mint. The second course featured spring herb ravioli filled with ricotta and morels, dressed with a light parmesan emulsion, using herbs from the White House Kitchen Garden planted by former First Lady Michelle Obama. The main course was Dover sole meunière with nutty brown butter, served with spring ramps, sweet snow peas, and potatoes pavé, finished with parsley oil. Dessert was a beehive-shaped chocolate gâteau with vanilla bean crémeux custard inside an almond joconde, served with crème fraîche ice cream and the White House's honey, showcasing the on-campus beehive visited by the King and Queen on Monday.
Historical Context
This state dinner marks the first of President Trump's second term. During his first term, Trump held only two state dinners, with a third cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since at least 2010, Trump has proposed building a White House ballroom, criticizing the tents used by Michelle Obama to host larger gatherings. He refused to use a tent during his first term, opting for the State Dining Room and Rose Garden instead. Tonight's dinner was held in the East Room.
