King Charles Has Met 9 U.S. Presidents During His Lifetime

This past week, King Charles welcomed U.S. President Joe Biden to Windsor Castle, marking the second time a U.S. president has visited during his reign. (The first was when Biden flew to London for Queen Elizabeth's funeral.) During Queen Elizabeth's lifetime, she met 13 out of the 14 presidents who served during her reign. (The one she never met: Lyndon B. Johnson, whom Charles also never met.) Her son Prince Charles was by her side for some of the meetings, but he's also undertaken his own visits to the U.S. over the years, and represented the royals on ceremonial occasions before he became king.

In chronological order, here are all the presidents that Charles has met throughout the decades, from Dwight Eisenhower through Joe Biden:

1959

In August 1959, President Dwight Eisenhower and his son Major John Eisenhower (in the back) visited Queen Elizabeth at Balmoral Castle. There, he met a young Prince Charles and Princess Anne.

1969

President Nixon chats with Queen Elizabeth during a meeting at Buckingham Palace. Prince Charles stands behind his mother; next to him is Princess Anne, and behind Nixon is Prince Philip.

1970

A year later, Prince Charles and Princess Anne traveled to the U.S., where President Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon welcomed them to the White House. Left to right, in this photo: Prince Charles; Nixon; David Eisenhower, (partly hidden), Nixon's son-in-law; Princess Anne; and Mrs. Nixon.

Charles even gave a speech at the White House.

During the visit, Nixon reportedly tried to set Charles up with his daughter, Tricia. Charles would reflect in 2021, "That was quite amusing, I must say. That was the time when they were trying to marry me off to Tricia Nixon."

1977

OK, this maybe doesn't count, but we're counting it anyway. During the G7 Summit in London, Prince Charles is in the background of this photo, which also features U.S. President Jimmy Carter (third from right).

1981

In 1981, Prince Charles was again in Washington D.C., where he met with President Ronald Reagan in the Oval Office.

Later in the day, he had a private dinner with the Reagans at the White House.

1982

A year later, Charles was present for Reagan's official State Visit to the UK. Left to right: Prince Charles, Prince Philip, President Ronald Reagan, First Lady Nancy Reagan.

1985

On this 1985 visit to the U.S., Charles was joined by Princess Diana. At the White House, they were received by the Reagans.

That night, Reagan and Charles pictured a banquet at the White House.

This was Princess Diana's first visit to the U.S., and she looked glamorous in her pearl choker necklace. That night, she famously danced with John Travolta.

During the trip, Charles and Diana also went to a dinner at the British embassy, joined by then-Vice President George H.W. Bush and his wife Barbara Bush. Bush would go on to be the 41st president.

1989

Four years later, Prince Charles joined President George Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush for dinner at Camp David.

2003

President George W. Bush went to London on a State Visit, and he was greeted at the airport by Prince Charles.

2005

In 2005, Charles and Camila, then the Duchess of Cornwall, visited the U.S., where they stopped in D.C. to be welcomed by the Bushes at the White House.

Later, they attended a dinner at the White House.

2009

During a Buckingham Palace reception for world leaders attending the G20 summit, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama chatted with Charles and Camilla.

2009

Later in the year, President Obama and Prince Charles took part in the D-Day ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, during the commemorations marking the 65th anniversary of the June 6, 1944 allied landings in Normandy.

2011

In 2011, the Obamas traveled to the UK on a state visit. Prince Charles joined them at a reception at Winfield House, the official residence of the US Ambassador.

2014

On the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings, Obama and Charles shared a laugh as they reunited.

2015

On a royal visit to the U.S., Charles once again stopped by the White House.

2019

During President Donald Trump's State Visit to the UK, Prince Charles greeted him at Buckingham Palace.

Charles and Camilla also joined Queen Elizabeth in some of the ceremonial events of the State Visit, including the guardsmen parade.

They also hosted the Trumps for tea at Clarence House.

Charles listened to a toast Trump gave at a dinner at dinner at Winfield House.

2023

In July 2023, King Charles hosted President Joe Biden at Windsor Castle.

It was the first time he met a U.S. president during his reign.

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