King Charles and Queen Camilla laid flowers at the September 11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan on Wednesday, pausing the third day of their U.S. state visit at the site where nearly 3,000 people died 25 years ago.
The couple left a bouquet of white roses beside the memorial's deep reflecting pools. A handwritten note read: "We honour the memory for those who so tragically lost their lives on 11th September 2001. We stand in enduring solidarity with the American people and in the face of their profound loss. Charles R Camilla."
It was the first time either had visited the site. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and former Mayor Michael Bloomberg were among the dignitaries present. The visit unfolded under heavy security, with road closures, checkpoints, and helicopters circling above.
The King and Queen met with families of victims, first responders who worked the rescue effort, representatives from victim support charities, and educational groups focused on preserving memory of the attacks. A museum now sits on the site, ringed by the city's skyscrapers.
Charles had referenced the attacks two days earlier in a speech to a joint session of Congress, calling the attacks "a defining moment for America" and saying the pain "was felt around the whole world." He invoked the Nato response to September 11 to press lawmakers on continued support for Ukraine, arguing the "same unyielding resolve is needed for the defence of Ukraine."
The visit was not without diplomatic friction. President Trump told reporters he believed Charles would have backed the U.S. approach on Iran if the decision had been the King's to make. "I think if he were doing that, if that were up to him, he would have probably helped us with Iran," Trump said. Buckingham Palace did not immediately comment.
Queen Camilla separately visited the New York Public Library to promote literacy. Actress Sarah Jessica Parker and former Vogue editor Anna Wintour attended. Camilla read Winnie-the-Pooh to a group of children and donated a literary item to the library's collection. "The first Americans I knew and loved were the characters I met in my treasured children's novels: Little Women, What Katy Did, Charlotte's Web," she told the gathering.
