King Charles III and Queen Camilla pay tribute to September 11 attacks victims during New York visit

King Charles III and Queen Camilla paid a solemn visit to National September 11 Memorial & Museum on Wednesday, laying flowers and meeting families of victims during a packed day of engagements across New York City. The visit marked the first time in 16 years that a reigning British monarch has traveled to the city.

The king bowed his head in reflection at the memorial honoring nearly 3,000 people killed in the September 11 attacks, including 67 British nationals. The royal couple also spoke with survivors, first responders and relatives of victims ahead of the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

They were joined at the site by officials including New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani briefly greeted the king; he had earlier said he would focus on honoring victims, though he noted he might raise the issue of the Koh-i-Noor diamond under different circumstances.

Later in the day, the king visited an urban farming initiative in Harlem, where he planted seeds with schoolchildren and learned about programs addressing food insecurity. Meanwhile, the queen toured the New York Public Library, where she met actress Sarah Jessica Parker and presented a new “Roo” doll to the library’s famous Winnie-the-Pooh collection, marking the character’s 100th anniversary.

The couple’s day concluded at a reception for the King’s Trust at Rockefeller Center, attended by figures including Lionel Richie, Anna Wintour, Martha Stewart and Donatella Versace. In brief remarks, Charles highlighted the enduring cultural ties between the UK and US, calling them a partnership “rooted in shared creativity, enterprise and values.”

The visit forms part of the king’s first US trip since ascending the throne, following engagements in Washington, D.C., where he met Donald Trump and delivered a rare address to Congress—an honor last given to a British monarch by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991.