‘Keep making an attempt!’: King jokes with US comic who tries his greatest Charles impression once they meet at Washington backyard social gathering

King Charles laughed uproariously at an American comedian who tested out his best impersonation of the monarch when they met on the first day of his US state visit.

The British royal clearly enjoyed meeting Matt Friend and urged him to ‘keep trying’ when he heard the impression during a lavish garden party for 650 guests in Washington DC.

Mr Friend, host of the CNN show America Laughs, turned on his best English drawl and mimicked Charles as they shook hands at the UK Ambassador’s residence yesterday.

The comedian appeared to tell the King in his own voice: ‘I’m going to do my impersonation of you, that’s not bad. I’m trying to sound like you’.

In his own affable way, the King replied with a grin: ‘keep trying’ before giving him some more words of encouragement much to the delight of the crowd.

Matt then said ‘thank you very much’, again trying his best impersonation of the King, later dubbing the moment: ‘King Charles meets King Charles’. 

The funny moment came as Charles and Queen Camilla rounded off a packed first day of their historic US state visit.

The event, held at the British Embassy, brought together a cross-section of British and American figures – from politicians and officials to charity leaders and sporting stars – as the monarch seeks to reinforce strained transatlantic ties.

Their Majesties hosted the garden party just hours after touching down at Joint Base Andrews, where they were greeted with gifts and a military band as they stepped off the plane and walked down a red carpet. 

After standing for the UK and US national anthems, Charles, 77, and Camilla, 78, were then driven in a motorcade to the White House, where US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania greeted them.

The royals had tea in the Green Room and were taken to the garden to see a newly-expanded beehive, rebuilt in the shape of a miniature White House, before attending the garden party at the UK’s embassy.

In traditional garden party fare, guests were treated to 3,000 handmade sandwiches including Scottish smoked salmon, roast beef and horseradish sandwiches using imported British cuts brought in under new tariff-free treaties, egg mayonnaise, and lightly pickled cucumber, followed by scones. 

Guests included Olympic diver and celebrity knitter Tom Daley as well as football ace Esme Morgan, a Lionesses World Cup winning star who plays for Washington Spirit.

Among the political figures there were Scott Bessent, Secretary of the Treasury, Senator Ted Cruz, former speaker Nancy Pelosi and current speaker of the house Mike Johnson. 

Prince William‘s old school friend, Guy Pelly, who now lives in the US, was also in attendance.

But before enjoying the garden party, the King and Queen saw a time capsule created to mark America’s 250th anniversary celebrations this year.

They placed a commemorative coin made specially for the occasion by the Royal Mint into the capsule, a proclamation from the King and essays written by local Washington school children, inside.

It will be placed under the Washington Monument on the capital city’s National Mall later this year to be opened when US marks 500 years of independence.

The capsule will be twinned with another, which was placed under the statue of George Washington in Trafalgar Square, London, last June.

Before the garden party began Camilla confessed she was ‘quite jet lagged’.

Earlier in the day, Charles and Camilla had been formally welcomed by Trump and the First Lady at the White House, where the two couples exchanged warm greetings before retreating inside for private talks over tea.

The meeting – deliberately kept away from cameras – marked the opening of the King’s first US state visit of his reign, a four-day tour seen as pivotal for the so-called ‘special relationship’.

The King has been tasked with using the monarchy’s soft power to help steady relations, which have become increasingly fractious in recent months.

Arriving in Washington aboard the British Government GBNI aeroplane, Charles and Camilla were greeted with full ceremonial honours at Joint Base Andrews, where a military guard and band lined a red carpet beneath blazing sunshine.

Camilla made a pointed diplomatic gesture by wearing a historic brooch featuring the Union flag crossed with the American Stars and Stripes – a piece originally gifted to Elizabeth II during her 1957 visit to the US.

After travelling into the capital, the royal couple were welcomed on the South Portico of the White House, where there were kisses exchanged between Camilla and Melania, while Charles shook hands with Trump before greeting the First Lady.

The two couples then sat down privately in the Green Room for tea, with discussions carefully shielded from public view – a sign of the sensitivity surrounding the visit.

The high-stakes trip comes against the backdrop of recent tensions, with Trump having criticised the UK government’s foreign policy stance and openly clashed with Sir Keir Starmer.

Despite this, the President has described Charles as ‘my friend’ and a ‘brave’ man, signalling a willingness to use the visit to strengthen ties.