The monarch attended a state dinner hosted by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump

King Charles III, U.S. President Donald Trump

King Charles with President Donald Trump at the state dinner on April 28, 2026.Credit : Aaron Schwartz / AFP via Getty

King Charles was a fan of one particular aspect of the White House state dinner.

On Wednesday, April 29, the monarch stepped out for a trade and business event at Rockefeller Center, where he met with 12 of the most senior chief executives from the United States and the United Kingdom. At the event, he talked briefly with Stephen Schwarzman, the chairman and CEO of the private equity firm Blackstone.

During their conversation, he told Schwarzman — who also attended the state dinner on Tuesday, April 28 — that he was “so impressed by the music from the military” at the event.

The evening’s entertainment included performances by U.S. military musicians from the Marines, Army and Air Force.

King Charles is a music fan and memorably helped Prince Harry and Meghan Markle choose some of the music for their 2018 wedding. In a recording for an exhibit on the event at Windsor Castle, Meghan said, “We worked quite a lot with the Prince of Wales, who has incredible taste in specifically classical music, so it was really fun to spend some time going through selections with him,” referring to her father-in-law by his royal title before he acceded to the throne in 2022.

queen Camilla, King Charles III, U.S. President Donald Trump, and First Lady Melania Trump

Queen Camilla, King Charles, Donald Trump and Melania Trump attending the state dinner on April 28, 2026.Chris Jackson/Getty

King Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla, are in the midst of a four-day trip to the U.S., timed in honor of the 250th anniversary of American independence from the U.K.

The visit kicked off on Monday, April 27, when the royals landed in Washington, D.C. and were greeted by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump. The next day, the King made history as only the second British monarch to deliver an address to a joint meeting of Congress. (The first was his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth.)

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump welcome King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the East Room of the White House

Queen Camilla, King Charles, Donald Trump and Melania Trump at the state dinner on April 28, 2026.Andrew Harnik/Getty

On Wednesday, April 29, the royals departed Washington, D.C. and headed to New York City for a whirlwind day of engagements.

Their day began with a visit to the National September 11 Memorial to commemorate the upcoming 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

King Charles III with founder Tony Hilliery during a visit to Harlem Grown, a local community organisation and after-school initiative tackling systemic health, education and wellbeing challenges faced by children and families in Upper Manhattan by transforming abandoned urban lots into sustainable farms, on day three of the state visit to the US. Picture date: Wednesday April 29, 2026.

King Charles during a visit to Harlem Grown on April 29, 2026.Press Association via AP Images

King Charles and Queen Camilla then split up for solo engagements: The King visited the local community organization Harlem Grown, while the Queen attended a celebration of literature at the New York Public Library. The pair reunited for an arts reception in the evening, held at Christie’s auction house.

On Thursday, the King and Queen will end their U.S. trip with engagements in Virginia, including a “block party” celebrating America’s 250th birthday.

From Virginia, King Charles will then head to Bermuda for his first visit as monarch to an overseas British territory.