King Charles and Queen Camilla in New York to honour 9/11 victims on US state visit

King Charles III and Queen Camilla are set to arrive in New York on Wednesday, embarking on a closely watched diplomatic visit to the US.

This marks the first time a reigning British monarch has visited the city since Queen Elizabeth II in 2010, and comes midway through their four-day trip commemorating 250 years of American independence.

The royal couple's itinerary includes a poignant wreath-laying ceremony at the National 9/11 Memorial. During this event, they are expected to meet with first responders and the families of victims from the September 11 attacks.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and other dignitaries are also slated to attend the ceremony, which precedes the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

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The queen is then scheduled to visit the New York Public Library, where she’ll deliver a new “Roo” doll to add to the library’s famed collection of Winnie-the-Pooh stuffed animals, as the beloved children’s character turns 100 this year.

The five dolls currently on display -- Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore and Kanga -- were the inspiration for the characters in A.A. Milne’s children’s books. They were owned by the English author’s son, the real-life Christopher Robin, in the 1920s. The dolls were donated to the library in 1987 and are a centerpiece of the library’s collection of children’s literature. Roo, in the books, was a small brown kangaroo and son of Kanga.

The king, meanwhile, was expected to visit an after-school, urban farming effort that works with young people affected by food insecurity, as well as meet later with business and financial leaders in Manhattan.

The royal couple are then expected to attend a reception for the King's Trust, a charity Charles founded in 1976.

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The four-day trip is Charles’ first state visit to the U.S. since he became king. His mother, Queen Elizabeth II, made four state visits to the U.S.

Monday, the king and queen joined President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump for tea at the White House.

On Tuesday, Charles and Trump had a closed-door meeting in the Oval Office. The king then delivered a rare speech before Congress -- the first by a British monarch since his late mother in 1991 -- followed by a formal state dinner at the White House.

The monarchs are also expected to make stops in Virginia before wrapping up their U.S. visit back at the White House on Thursday with a formal farewell from Trump. Charles then travels solo to Bermuda on his first visit as king to a British overseas territory.

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