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King Charles is in the middle of a state visit to the United States that has seen him meet US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office and deliver an address to Congress. But with a packed schedule of events to come, there are reportedly some security concerns after what happened at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
President Trump and top officials were rushed to safety during the event after gunfire was heard outside the ballroom at the Washington Hilton. The suspect was taken into custody after exchanging gunfire with Secret Service agents. President Trump and top officials were not injured. However, it’s enough to heighten security, particularly around someone like the King.
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“There is a clear awareness at the highest levels that public appearances in open settings carry heightened risks in the current climate – particularly when recent events have underscored potential vulnerabilities,” a source told RadarOnline. “Even carefully choreographed moments like ceremonial greetings are being viewed through a different lens.”
“For visiting dignitaries, especially senior figures such as the King, there is often an additional layer of caution. What might once have been routine optics now requires constant reassessment in light of evolving threats,” the source added. “But it was clear Charles was terrified to be out in the open at the start of his visit, and quite rightly so.”
The outlet also reported in a conversation between Charles and Trump as the US President and first lady greeted the King and Queen Camilla on the South Lawn of the White House on Monday, April 27. Lip reader Nicola Hickling told the New York Post that Trump brought up the incident during the exchange, saying, “This shooting… .”
Reportedly, King Charles’ response was one of concern, saying, “I’d rather not stand about here too long. I feel I shouldn’t be here.”
Hickling added that Trump went on to ask Charles if he was all right, and said, “It’s not a good thing,” and “I wasn’t prepared, but now I am prepared.”
The conversation then moved on to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. “So right now, I am talking to Putin. He wants war,” Trump reportedly told Charles, adding, “I’ve got a feeling… if he did what he said, he will wipe out the population.”
After the two couples had tea in the Green Room and toured the White House grounds. The visit then continued with a garden party at the British ambassador’s residence on Embassy Row.
There have been several attempts on Charles’ life in the past. In 1994, a man in Sydney fired shots at him during a public speech. They later turned out to be blanks, and the whole thing was a protest against the treatment of Cambodian asylum seekers. Much earlier, in 1983, a plot by the IRA to bomb a Duran Duran concert at the Dominion Theatre was discovered. The bomb was meant to target then Prince Charles and Princess Diana, who were attending the event.
Charles’ state visit is set to conclude on April 30.
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