King Charles and Queen Camilla made a rare appearance in New York City on Wednesday, April 30, marking the first visit to the city by a British monarch since Queen Elizabeth II visited in 2010.
The stop in the Big Apple was on the third day of the royals’ four-day trip to the United States, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence and highlight the U.S.-U.K. relationship.
While they were there, the royal couple:
Here is everything you need to know about the royals’ visit to New York this week.
Royals attend September 11 memorial, meet with NY officials
On Wednesday morning, King Charles and Queen Camilla attended a ceremony at the National September 11 Memorial, where they met with the families of victims and first responders.
Some New York Officials, including the former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, New York Governor Kathy Hochul and the current New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, also attended the ceremony.
The royals met and had a brief exchange with Mamdani at the ceremony, only hours after Mamdani told reporters that he would privately urge the monarch to return the Koh‑i‑Noor to India if they had a one-on-one meeting.
The 105-carat Koh-i-Noor from India came into the British hands during the colonial era, and India has repeatedly demanded that the diamond be returned.
“If I were to speak to the king separately from that, I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor Diamond,” Mamdani, a Muslim born in Uganda to parents of Indian descent, said at the event, Reuters reported.
It is not clear what Mamdani and the royals spoke of during their brief interaction.
King Charles and Queen Camilla left a bouquet of flowers with a note on the memorial before leaving.
Queen Camilla celebrates literature with iconic NYC celebrities
Queen Camilla’s stop at the New York Public Library was, in part, a celebration of Winnie-the-Pooh’s 100th birthday and the library’s expansive collection. According to Buckingham Palace, this visit included a panel with Jenna Bush Hager, Harlan Coben and Min Jin Lee.
The event was hosted by her literacy charity, The Queen’s Reading Room, and celebrated the shared love of literature between the United States and the United Kingdom.
There, Queen Camilla met with Sarah Jessica Parker, Anna Wintour and read an excerpt from “Winnie-the-Pooh” to local public school students with Jim Cummings, who voiced Pooh in the original films and TV shows, USA Today reported.
King Charles’ stop at Harlem Grown event
While Queen Camilla attended the New York Public Library event, King Charles visited a grassroots organization, Harlem Grown, that supports children and young people affected by food insecurity through a sustainable urban farming program.
He toured the urban farm in Harlem, met the founder, Tony Hilliery, planted seeds, fed chickens and met with local schoolchildren, USA Today reported.
Royals attend Greater Together Reception
At night, the royals attended the Greater Together Reception, in partnership with Charles’ charity the King’s Trust, where the King gave his remarks. The gala aims to showcase “the U.K.’s cultural impact on New York through the arts, sports and community initiatives, including the work of King’s Trust America to transform the lives of young people.”
Actors Nina Dobrev, Meghann Fahy and Leo Woodall, as well as models Jasmine Tookes and Karlie Kloss, entrepreneurs Martha Stewart and Charlotte Tilbury, and singer Lionel Richie were among the attendees, alongside Wintour, according to USA Today.
Contributing: USA Today.
—Madison Scott is a New York Connect reporter, covering entertainment, breaking and consumer news, and trending topics with a focus on stories that matter to readers across New York state. She also has an interest in how the system helps or doesn’t helpfamilies with missing loved ones. She can be reached at MDScott@USATodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: King Charles, Queen Camilla visit NYC. What they did and who they met
Reporting by Madison Scott, New York Connect Team / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
