WASHINGTON, USA — President Donald Trump said he would remove tariffs and trade restrictions on whiskey after hosting King Charles III and Queen Camilla during their four-day state visit to the United States.
The announcement came on Thursday, April 30, 2026, as the British royals concluded a visit that included stops in Washington, New York and Virginia before their departure for Bermuda.
“In honour of the King and Queen… I will be removing the tariffs and restrictions on whiskey,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, linking the decision to trade between Scotland and Kentucky’s bourbon industry.
Trump said the move would support “two very important industries within Scotland and Kentucky,” citing business connections involving wooden barrel production.
“The King and Queen got me to do something that nobody else was able to do, without hardly even asking!” Trump wrote, describing their visit as a “wonderful honour.”
Farewell at the White House
Trump and Melania Trump hosted the King and Queen at the White House for a formal farewell earlier on Thursday.
The two couples posed for photographs before entering the building briefly and later exchanged goodbyes outside.
After the royals left, Trump told reporters, “Great people, we need more people like that in our country.”
The visit was Charles’s first state visit to the United States since becoming king. Queen Elizabeth II made four state visits to the country during her reign.
Final Stops in Virginia
After leaving the White House, Charles and Camilla visited Arlington National Cemetery, where they took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
A 21-gun salute was fired as they arrived, and a military band played before a moment of silence.
The royals later travelled to Front Royal, Virginia, where they attended an America 250 block party marking the approach of the United States’ 250th anniversary.
They were greeted by residents waving flags, local officials and performers.
Camilla also visited Smitten Farm in Virginia’s horse country, where she met breeders and learned about efforts to retrain retired racehorses.
Her visit highlighted the historical ties between British and American horse racing.
Charles separately visited Shenandoah National Park, where he met Monacan Indian Nation leaders, spoke with conservation officials and took part in a ceremony with students from Warren County High School.
Departure for Bermuda
The King and Queen later departed from Joint Base Andrews, closing their United States visit.
They were seen off by officials before travelling to Bermuda, where Charles is scheduled to make his first visit as sovereign to the British Overseas Territory.
The American leg of the trip included meetings with Trump, a visit to the National September 11 Memorial in New York and an address by Charles to Congress, where he marked America’s semiquincentennial and spoke about transatlantic ties.
