King Charles, Queen Camilla to proceed with US visit after WHCA shooting

King Charles III and Queen Camilla continue their visit to the United States after the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, DC

President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, First Lady Melania Trump and other top officials were evacuated from the Washington Hilton Hotel ballroom Saturday night after being subdued and detained after a gunman exchanged gunfire with Secret Service agents in the lobby.

On Monday, Charles and Camilla will arrive in Washington, D.C., for a four-day trip that will mark their first visit to the United States as British monarchs.

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A Buckingham Palace spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital on Sunday that the attack did not derail the royal family’s visit.

“Following discussions throughout the day on both sides of the Atlantic, and in line with the Government’s advice, it can be confirmed that Her Majesty’s State Visit will proceed as planned,” the spokesman said. he said. “The King and Queen are grateful to everyone who has worked quickly to ensure this remains the case and look forward to the Visit starting tomorrow,” the spokesman said. he added.

Fox News Digital understands that the overall plan remains unchanged, with only minor tweaks to one or two planned missions.

A palace spokesman shared a statement early Sunday. people magazine regarding the discussions regarding the upcoming visit.

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“Her Majesty is being kept fully informed of developments and it is a great relief to hear that the President, the First Lady and all guests were unharmed,” the spokesman said.

After the gunshots, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were escorted out of the ballroom of the Washington Hilton Hotel. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

“A series of discussions will take place throughout the day with our US colleagues and relevant teams to discuss the extent to which the events of Saturday evening may or may not impact the operational planning of the Visit.”

According to People, Charles and Camilla reached out to Trump and Melania privately following the shooting.

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Speaking to Fox News host Shannon Bream on “Fox News Sunday,” Trump said the royal family’s trip to the United States is proceeding as planned.

“King Charles is coming and he’s a great man and we’re looking forward to it,” Trump said. “He is truly a wonderful person and a wonderful representative.”

Trump confirmed that the royal family’s journey was progressing and called Charles “a great guy.” (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Trump continued to praise Charles, citing the monarch’s ongoing battle with an unspecified form of cancer, for which he has been treated since February 2024.

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“He’s brave, you know, he’s got something that’s very difficult to fight,” Trump said. “As you know, he has a very well-documented health issue. And he’s actually been amazing. He’s actually very brave, and he’s been a friend of mine for a long time. So he’s coming, and we’re going to have a great time. And he represents his nation in a way that no one else can.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was among the world leaders who expressed their support for Trump at the gala dinner after the attack.

“I was shocked by the scenes at the overnight White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington,” Starmer wrote in the X post. “Any attack on democratic institutions or press freedom should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Any attack on headlines or press freedom should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. It is a great relief that @POTUS, the First Lady, and all attendees are safe.”

Charles and Camilla will meet Trump and Melania during their visit. (Aaron Chown – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

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On Sunday, Prince Albert of Monaco and his wife Princess Charlene shared a message of solidarity with Trump following the attack.

Albert began his Instagram post with “To Mr. Donald J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America.”

“Mr. President, I learned with emotion about the events that occurred last night on the sidelines of the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington,” he wrote. “I would like to express my relief in knowing that you, along with the First Lady and all participants, are safe and unharmed in the wake of this extraordinarily grave act.

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“On behalf of the Monegasque community, Princess Charlene, and my Family, I offer our expression of solidarity to you, your wife, and the American people,” Albert concluded.

Authorities identified the suspect in the shooting as 31-year-old Cole Allen of Torrance, California, adding that he had prepared a manifesto outlining his goals and shared anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric on social media.

As the WHCA continued, Allen allegedly ran to the Secret Service checkpoint at the Washington Hilton with multiple weapons and opened fire, attacking a Secret Service officer in his ballistic vest.

Agents returned fire, knocking Allen to the ground. The suspect and the injured police officer were taken to the hospital. The Secret Service agent is expected to make a full recovery and was released from the hospital Sunday.

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Allen faces federal charges including assault on a federal officer and use of a firearm during a crime of violence, with additional charges possible.

During the incident, the suspect, identified as 31-year-old Cole Allen, was subdued and taken into custody. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Charles and Camilla’s visit to the US is to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence and includes Washington DC, New York and Virginia. The late Queen Elizabeth was the last British monarch to visit the United States, in 2007 to mark the anniversary of the Jamestown settlement.

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“The visit will be an opportunity to recognize the shared history of our two nations, the breadth of the economic, security and cultural relationship that has developed since then, and the deep people-to-people connections that unite our communities,” a press release from the UK Embassy said.

Charles and Camilla will attend the state dinner hosted by Trump and Melania. (Chris Jackson/WPA Pool/Getty Images)

After arriving in Washington DC, Charles and Camilla will be greeted by Trump and Melania and attend a private tea at the White House. Their program includes a ceremonial military review, cultural events, a garden party at the British ambassador’s residence, and bilateral meetings; The King will also make a rare speech to a joint session of Congress – only the second by a British monarch.

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The couple will attend a wreath-laying ceremony in honor of the fallen soldiers and the long-standing US-UK military alliance, then attend a state dinner at the White House before leaving the capital the next day.

Beyond Washington, the royal family; The trip expands to New York and Virginia, where the royal family will visit the 9/11 Memorial, community and cultural projects, and participate in events highlighting US-UK ties and shared history.

Fox News Digital’s Lauryn Overhultz and Amanda Mancias contributed to this report.