Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the King and Queen’s State Visit to the United States will go ahead.
Following high-level discussions after the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump, it has been agreed that aside from some ‘modest modifications’ to one or two official engagements the programme will go ahead as planned.
The couple are now due to arrive in Washington on Monday.
A spokesman said: ‘Following discussions on both sides of the Atlantic through the day, and acting on advice of Government, we can confirm the State Visit by Their Majesties will proceed as planned.
‘The King and Queen are most grateful to all those who have worked at pace to ensure this remains the case and are looking forward to the Visit getting underway tomorrow.’
Trump and his wife Melania attended the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night at the Washington Hilton when a series of shots rang out.
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, has since been arrested and is facing at least three charges after he breached a security checkpoint and exchanged gunfire with law enforcement.
King Charles said he is ‘greatly relieved’ that Trump and Melania were unharmed in the attack which took place just two days before he was due to arrive in America with Queen Camilla.
King Charles has said he is ‘greatly relieved’ that Donald Trump and Melania are unharmed after shots were fired at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner – just two days before his planned visit with the Queen
The President and First Lady were seated at the head of the table on stage when the incident occurred
Allen was ‘tackled to the ground’ and handcuffed by law enforcement after he allegedly broke through a security checkpoint and opened fire
The shooting had raised questions over whether the royal couple would go forward with their planned four-day visit tomorrow.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson previously said: ‘His Majesty is being kept fully informed of developments and is greatly relieved to hear that the President, First Lady and all guests have been unharmed.
‘As you would expect, a number of discussions will be taking place throughout the day to discuss with US colleagues and our respective teams to what degree the events of Saturday evening may or may not impact on the operational planning for the Visit.’
Trump said earlier the trip would go ahead, telling Fox News: ‘King Charles is coming, and he’s a great guy.’
The King and Queen are understood to have reached out privately to the President and First Lady to express their sympathies with all those affected on the night and their gratitude to the security services who prevented further injury.
Federal prosecutors moved quickly and already announced Allen is being charged with two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon.
He is expected to be arraigned in federal court on Monday.
If convicted, Allen could face 20 years in jail for the assault, while the weapons charges come with a minimum of ten years with a possibility of life behind bars if fired.
Authorities say Allen, armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives, charged toward the ballroom before being stopped.
Interim Chief of Police of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Jeffrey Carroll said the suspect was ‘tackled to the ground’ and handcuffed by law enforcement after exchanging gunfire with officers.
One officer was struck in his bulletproof vest and is expected to recover.
Carroll confirmed Allen was not hit by gunfire during the confrontation but he was taken to the hospital for an evaluation.
Investigators believe Allen was staying at the hotel where the dinner was being held.
‘So preliminary information, we do believe he was a guest here at the hotel. We have secured a room here in the hotel, and again, we’ll go through the appropriate procedures to determine what was inside there,’ Carroll said.
Inside the ballroom, hundreds of guests dove under tables as shots rang out nearby.
The President and First Lady were swiftly evacuated by Secret Service agents.
‘When you’re impactful, they go after you. When you’re not impactful, they leave you alone,’ Trump said hours later, describing the suspect as a ‘lone wolf’ and a ‘sick person’.
Suspected White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooter Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, is facing at least three charges
Members of law enforcement respond during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Allen can be seen lying on the ground with his hands behind his back
Authorities have said they have ‘no reason’ to believe anyone else was involved and have not identified any motive yet.
The charges already filed carry significant penalties and officials have made clear they are only the beginning.
Officials say Allen never breached the ballroom itself, crediting the rapid response of Secret Service and law enforcement for preventing what could have been a far more devastating outcome.
‘You saw the very worst by the actions of that coward, but you also saw the very best because you saw law enforcement do exactly what they’re supposed to do,’ Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said. ‘I promise you justice will be served.’
Trump also revealed what First Lady Melania told him just after the bullets were fired.
‘It’s always shocking when something like this happens,’ the President said at a White House press briefing in the West Wing within an hour of the violence.
‘The fact that we were sitting next to each other, the First Lady on my right, and I heard a noise,’ Trump said, adding they thought ‘it was either a tray or a bullet’.
‘I heard a noise and kinda thought it was a tray going down,’ he said.
Trump said that immediately Melania recognised the sound as a ‘bad noise’, adding that ‘it was a rather traumatic experience for her’.
‘Melania was very cognisant,’ he continued.
The President also shared his wife’s fear for his safety given the multiple assassination attempts against him.
‘The First Lady was doing a terrific job. She loves the country. She recognises it better than any. But she told me numerous times, she said: “You are in a dangerous job.”‘
Within seconds of the shots, the President, First Lady, and Vice President ducked for cover under their table on stage at the front of the room.
Moments later, agents began combing through the hundreds of tables in the massive banquet hall to secure top Cabinet officials.
Melania Trump stood in the briefing room as the President delivered an update to the nation during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner
Many of Trump’s top Cabinet members were in attendance at his late night press briefing
The Secret Service’s Counter Assault Team (CAT) rushed the stage draped in black tactical gear with large rifles drawn.
‘It was a gun and some people understood that pretty quickly and other people didn’t. I was watching to see what was happening,’ the President remarked.
‘Melania was cognisant of what happened, and I think she knew.
‘Again the performance of the Secret Service and the police, all of law enforcement were very good. It was very quick. There was not a lot of time to be thinking. It was a matter of seconds before we were out the door and got into an area.’
Video of the aftermath shows VP JD Vance being helped off stage by Secret Service agents as Trump and Melania duck for cover.
Clips then show several agents reach for the President and quickly pull him to safety.
While extracting him, the President appears to slip and crawl for a second as agents help him regain his footing and rush him to a space behind the stage.
