President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed King Charles and Queen Camilla to the White House Tuesday night for a glamorous state dinner, transforming the East Room into an English garden. The Trumps greeted the British royals with a brief ceremony on the South Lawn, where the President told King Charles, 'You made a great speech. I was very jealous.' King Charles had addressed Congress earlier Tuesday, receiving enthusiastic applause from both political parties.
Fashion Highlights
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 pale delphinium silk pumps. Queen Camilla chose a deep pink gown by Fiona Clare, adorned with a historic necklace of amethysts and diamonds, originally gifted by a former Duchess of Kent to Queen Victoria and later passed to Queen Mary.
Notable Guests
The state dinner, the first of President Trump's second term, attracted prominent figures including New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and departing Apple CEO Tim Cook, both spotted arriving by the Daily Mail. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez also attended, with Sanchez wearing a plunging black ballgown. Sam Altman, currently in a legal dispute with former Department of Government Efficiency leader Elon Musk, was photographed passing through White House security.
Menu
Guests enjoyed a four-course meal beginning with hearts of palm salad, served with garden herb velouté, crisp toasted shallots, and a 'whisper' of micro mint. The second course featured spring herb ravioli, with herbs from the White House Kitchen Garden planted by former First Lady Michelle Obama, filled with creamy ricotta and earthy morels, dressed in a light parmesan emulsion. The main course was Dover sole meunière, prepared in nutty brown butter and served with spring ramps, sweet snow peas over potatoes pavé, and finished with parsley oil. Dessert was a beehive-shaped chocolate gâteau with vanilla bean crémeux custard and almond joconde, accompanied by crème fraîche ice cream and the White House's own honey, showcasing the on-campus beehive visited by the King and Queen on Monday.
Dinner History
President Trump held only two state dinners during his first term, with a third cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since at least 2010, he has advocated for building a White House ballroom, criticizing the tents used by Michelle Obama to accommodate larger guest lists. Trump refused to use a tent in his first term, opting instead for the State Dining Room and the Rose Garden. Tonight's dinner was held in the East Room.
