The Prince of Wales and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, arrived in Washington Tuesday evening for a four day goodwill U.S. tour to the nation’s capital and Louisville, Kentucky.
Prince Charles and Camilla were greeted at the British Embassy by British Ambassador Sir Peter Westmacott and his wife, Lady Susie Westmacott, where they immediately greeted guests at two receptions, one for media VIPs and one for the British Embassy staff.
The royal couple will stay at the embassy residence during their Washington stay, which includes some tourist highlights like Mount Vernon, arts, museums and politics - a visit Thursday with President Obama at the White House and a trip to Capitol Hill. Friday they will be off to Kentucky.
Wednesday the couple will visit the Lincoln Memorial, the Martin Luther King Memorial, and Mount Vernon. The prince will go to the National Archives and see U.S. documents and a U.S.-owned Magna Carta, the 1297 version of a demand nobles made to the king for their rights. He will speak to an industry group about marine plastic waste. Camilla will visit the Shakespeare Theatre Company and both will host a reception at the embassy.
At Tuesday night’s reception for British Embassy staff, Charles and Camilla expertly went separately around the room, shaking hands and greeting everyone. The room of about 60 staffers were abuzz as they waited for the couple. “It’s always wonderful to see how the royal family spends time with staff,” said one embassy staffer. “Everyone is very excited.”
Camilla looked rested despite the trip and generated a lot of comment about the color of her coat and dress by British designer Bruce Oldfield. While a palace spokesperson said it was dove gray, news people and observers pronounced it beige or tan. In the brighter light of the reception room, the outfit did appear to be gray.
There were cunning little hors d’oeuvres which British Embassy head chef Craig Harnden described as: chicken liver parfait, deviled quail egg, cheese sticks and, of course, baby fish and chips.
The prince and Camilla did not actually taste them since they were greeting the guests, said a staffer, but they were having a private dinner afterwards.
“I am so pleased to welcome The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall back to the United States, ten years after their first official visit together,” said Westmacott. “Their trip to Washington and Kentucky will showcase the best of the transatlantic relationship – promoting democratic values, combating climate change, preserving the natural environment, creating opportunities for the next generation - and provide yet another reminder of the essential role the Royal Family play in keeping that relationship special.”
Comments