King Charles Welcomes President Joe Biden to Windsor Castle – President Joe Biden was accorded a remarkable reception in Britain as he encountered King Charles at Windsor Castle. This encounter marked a significant occasion as it was King Charles’ inaugural formal meeting with a U.S. president during his reign as monarch.
Throughout her 70-year reign, the late Queen Elizabeth had met 13 out of the 14 serving U.S. presidents. Buckingham Palace initially disclosed news of the meeting between 74-year-old King Charles and 80-year-old President Biden on July 2. “The King will meet the President of the United States of America at Windsor Castle on Monday 10th July,” the palace said in a statement.
The White House also released a statement, explaining: “President Biden will first travel to London, United Kingdom for engagements with King Charles III and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to further strengthen the close relationship between our nations.”
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Following their handshake, the two gentlemen observed the playing of the U.S. national anthem, followed by the U.K. anthem. Subsequently, they proceeded to inspect the Welsh Guards. While President Biden’s visit is not an elaborate state visit, it holds significant importance.
The heads of state will not only deepen their acquaintance but also engage in discussions on a matter of great importance to both of them: climate change. On Monday, King Charles and President Biden participated in the Climate Finance Mobilisation Forum, which was hosted by John Kerry, the U.S. presidential envoy for climate, and Grant Shapps, the U.K.’s energy secretary.
During their meeting in the Green Drawing Room of the Castle, King Charles and President Biden received a briefing on the forum’s deliberations, focusing on strategies to encourage major corporations and private finance to actively address the climate crisis. This objective aligns with the British monarch’s longstanding environmental advocacy efforts in recent years.
Earlier in the day, President Biden had a meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at No.10 Downing Street. Following his time in the United Kingdom, he will proceed to Vilnius, Lithuania, for the NATO Summit, and then to Helsinki, Finland, for a U.S.-Nordic Leaders Summit, as stated by the White House.
This meeting takes place two months after King Charles’ coronation in May, held in London. While no American president has ever attended a crowning ceremony, according to the BBC, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden represented President Biden on this occasion.
She attended the momentous church service alongside her granddaughter Finnegan Biden and engaged in conversation with Kate Middleton at a special reception in Buckingham Palace for international guests held on the eve of the coronation. According to the White House, prior to the coronation on May 6, President Biden and King Charles had a telephone conversation during which the president expressed his desire to meet the monarch during his visit to the United Kingdom.
“President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with King Charles III, underscoring the strength of the relationship between our countries and the friendship between our people,” a readout of the call released by the White House read “The President congratulated the King on his upcoming Coronation and informed him that First Lady Jill Biden looks forward to attending on behalf of the United States. “
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“The President also conveyed his desire to meet with the King in the United Kingdom at a future date.” In recent years, President Biden and King Charles have had multiple encounters, starting with a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in 2015 when President Barack Obama and Queen Camilla (then known as the Duchess of Cornwall) were also present.
They also crossed paths at the COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland in 2021. In June of that same year, just a few months into his presidency, President Biden and his wife met with Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle.
It is noteworthy that Queen Elizabeth met a total of 13 American presidents throughout her historic reign, with President Biden being the final one. Furthermore, President Biden and the first lady represented the United States at Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral in September 2022.