CELEBS Lionel Richie, Anna Wintour, Karlie Kloss, and Meghann Fahy joined the King and Queen for a reception at auction house Christie’s in New York
The party was held to showcase Britain’s cultural importance in The Big Apple and across the States – in areas such as sport, arts and community and was held in partnership with The King’s Trust.
In a speech, Charles, who is 77, joked “as we look to the future, I won’t see the long-distance future” before asking those in the room to “champion the next generation”.
And the Queen, in a green chiffon leopard print dress, joined the King meeting the stars like they were old friends.
Lionel, King’s Trust Global Ambassador, also made a speech at the star studded event – hailing the UK/US relationship as the “best of cultural experience.”
Asked afterwards about the King’s speech at Congress, Lionel Richie said: “I thought it was brilliant and how he threaded the needle – so brilliant, but brought us back into humanity as only he can do.
SUBTLE SIGN
Secret messages Melania Trump & Queen Camilla have sent with Washington outfits
FIRM FRIENDS
Lipreader reveals moment Trump joked ‘are you drunk?’ with King after speech
“A friend, giving advice as to what we should be doing, a wise friend.”
Charles and Camilla were seen departing the gala in a BMW with event staff telling the U.S. Sun the party carried on despite their departure.
Earlier, Charles and Camilla pledged they “stand in enduring solidarity” with Americans as they joined a poignant ceremony at the 9/11 memorial.
And, yesterday the royals enjoyed a lavish State Dinner hosted by President Donald Trump at the White House after a day of diplomatic bromance between the King and the President, 79.
The royal couple paid their respects to the victims of the September 11 attacks this afternoon during a visit to the memorial ahead of a meeting with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
The King and Queen hugged the families of some of the more than 3,000 killed in the New York terror attacks – in which 67 Brits also perished.
It was Charles and Camilla’s first visit to the site since the horrific attacks 25 years ago.
Charles then paid a visit to a community initiative in Harlem while Camilla attended a literary event.
Both Charles and Camilla then attended the King’s Trust Gala together alongside dozens of famous faces as they brought day three of the state visit to a close.
The King went to Harlem Grown after attending the 9/11 memorial with dozens of locals lining the streets as he arrived at the community initiative.
One youngster was heard shouting, “It’s the King of England. Sir, can you give me a thousand dollars. I’ll take English dollars.”
In Harlem, Charles greeted locals as he visited a community hub despite security changes meaning some roads were closed and the public was kept back.
During an impromptu walkabout, a woman said: “Thank you for your speech to Congress. We needed that.”
Charles replied: “I keep trying.”
Epiphany Adams, 24, a PhD student who had her life turned around by being a part of Harlem Grown, told The U.S. Sun she was first told of King Charles’ visit by someone asking her, “Have you seen The Crown?”
“At first it didn’t feel real,” she said. “It’s kind of hard not to know about the royal family. We get educated about it at school, they are all over the TV. Of course I was aware of the death of his mother.
“It really felt like he wanted to be here, he wanted to see what was happening in Harlem.”
She said he seemed “genuinely interested,” admitting, “He was nothing like I imagined, he was extremely friendly, he was nice. I’m a girl who grew up in poverty so I’m like ‘Oh my God, it’s the king.”
But she said in reality he was very normal and put her at ease when she was nervous.
“The first thing he said was, ‘Is there chickens?’ I was like, yes, he’s like, ‘Great’.”
She said Charles was keen to get to the chickens and asked to feed them, adding: “You could just see it, he wanted to get in there and do some work.”
Meanwhile, large crowds waited outside New York Public Library where Camilla was holding a literacy celebration with guests – including Anna Wintour and Harlan Coben.
During the couple’s earlier visit to the 9/11 memorial Camilla, 78, hugged Anthoulia Katsimatides whose brother, John, who was working for Cantor Fitzgerald and was just 31 when he died on the 104th floor of The World Trade Center.
Speaking afterwards, Anthoulia said she felt so moved that she just wanted to ask the Queen for a hug.
She said: “I asked could I hug her. She didn’t hear it at first so I repeated myself and she smiled and said ‘of course’. I’m from Queens and am Greek and we hug.
“John was such a good family man, a lovely man. He was 31 and single and living his best life, He absolutely loved his family and was quite religious. I often say that he was praying when he died.”
The couple also spoke to serving personnel to hear about the legacy and human impact of the terror attacks.
Camilla was pictured laying a bouquet of white flowers at the memorial’s wall as the couple paid their respects ahead of departing for their separate engagements.
Former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, chairman of the 9/11 memorial museum, joined the royals in a brief moment of reflection after giving the couple a tour of the memorial.
As the King and Queen attended the memorial, President Donald Trump piled on his praise for the pair from the Oval Office after a day of bromance diplomacy between him and Charles yesterday.
The President said: “I think he’s an unbelievable King and by the way an unbelievable Queen, I think they are a great couple.”
He would go on to reiterate claims he made yesterday that the King would support the war in Iran.
Trump said: “If it was up to King Charles, he would have probably helped us with Iran.”
Road closures were in place around the 9/11 memorial and museum ahead of King Charles III’s arrival.
Dozens of New York City Police Department and Port Authority Police Department officers were seen at the scene, while Secret Service agents gathered to coordinate security plans.
Increased security left dozens of onlookers, who had waited for hours, some with flowers, disappointed as the King was only able to wave to them.
Charles and Camilla’s words of sympathy were written in a message left with a bouquet of flowers they placed at the 9/11 memorial.
The handwritten note, in the King’s distinctive black script, said: “We honour the memory of 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.”
