Royal-tea with the Trumps! Inside King and Queen’s afternoon sit-down with US President and Melania – from His Majesty’s favoured Fortnum & Mason Earl Grey to fruitcake and scones

The Americans may be better known for throwing it across the Boston Harbour – but on Monday, the US President and First Lady sipped on one of King Charles‘ favourite teas as he and Queen Camilla kicked off day one of their state visit.

The royals drank the monarch’s favoured Earl Grey blend and enjoyed cakes and sandwiches as they arrived in Washington DC for what is expected to be a landmark trip amid strained transatlantic ties.

The red carpet was rolled out for the royal couple, who touched down at a military base, before being driven in a motorcade to the White House.

President Trump and Melania warmly greeted Charles and Camilla and escorted them to one of the White House’s parlours for a cup of tea from Fortnum & Mason.

Following English royal protocol, the tea was served in silver pots, but homages to the countries’ historic relations could be spotted throughout the venue – from a painting of Independence Hall in Philadelphia by Danish-American artist Ferdinand Richardt to the Federal-style furniture placed around the room.

A closer look at the King and Queen’s first sit-down with the President and First Lady also showed a secret glimpse at the security detail on hand by the door, as well as a nod to Donald’s sweet tooth with giant pots of honey on offer for the table.

Read on to see what hidden details you may have missed from the royals’ tea party with the Trumps…

1. Artwork 

After travelling to 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 image of the Green Room, which doubles up as an art gallery, showed one of the room’s most famous paintings – Independence Hall in Philadelphia by Danish-American artist Ferdinand Richardt, circa 1865 – 1863. 

The detailed oil-on-oil canvas of the historic landmark is a symbol of American liberty on the eve of the Civil War. 

2 – 8. Afternoon tea spread 

Inside the parlour typically used for small meetings, interviews and more informal gatherings, the group enjoyed brews shipped especially from Fortnum & Mason. 

The Earl Grey and Royal Blend varieties were likely shipped especially for Their Majesties, as Fortnum & Mason does not operate any physical retail stores in the United States. 

However, a small selection of their products is available at high-end homeware store Williams-Sonoma at one outlet in New York. 

While King Charles’s favourite brew is a cup of Darjeeling tea, he was likely pleased with the White House’s selection of the Royal Blend and Earl Grey varieties. 

Fortnum & Mason’s £17.95 loose-leaf Royal Blend, described on the website as having a ‘smooth, honey-like flavour’, was first blended for King Edward in 1902. 

Charles is also said to be partial to Earl Grey, a black tea named after former prime minister Charles Grey, with hints of bergamot. 

In keeping with royal protocol, the tea was served in silver pots as a butler ensured the quartet’s cups were always full during the private talks that overran the allotted 30 minutes. 

It is not known how far White House staff went in their pursuit of presenting Charles with his perfect cup of tea, as His Majesty typically insists the temperature of each pot be taken with a thermometer. 

The former hospitality manager at Dumfries House, Charles’s cultural institute in the Scottish borders, Evan Samson said the King is particular that English Breakfast or Earl Grey should be brewed at 100 degrees. 

He likes his tea with a splash of milk and a natural sweetener, as the photo taken during the King and Queen’s 45-minute meeting with Mr and Mrs Trump showed a wooden table laden with large pots of honey, strainers, and porcelain cups

The clover honey was likely harvested from a newly expanded beehive, built in the shape of a miniature White House, that the royal couple later inspected when they were given a tour of the gardens. 

The King and Queen were also served an assortment of cakes, madeleines, and finger sandwiches on three-tiered cake stands. 

9. Queen Camilla’s new £3,378 designer bag 

For the afternoon activities, Queen Camilla wore a bespoke Anna Valentine dress with black embroidery. The renowned British designer is beloved by Camilla, and was selected to design her pale blue hand-embroidered wedding dress.

She paired her striking white outfit with a Bottega Veneta andiamo bag, which retails for around £3,378 and can be seen perched next to her bespoke beige suede Elliot Zed shoes in this photo. 

10 – 13. The decor of the Green Room 

Reflections in the gilded gold mirrors showed aides standing by the doors of the Green Room while Charles and Camilla held private talks with the President and First Lady. 

The green silk wallpaper for the parlour, which has been refurbished several times to the tastes of serving presidents and their discerning wives, was chosen by Jackie Kennedy in 1962. 

Other decor details included white porcelain lamps and Federal-style furniture including a cabinet with brass rings and carved legs. 

After their private tea, Charles and Camilla hosted a garden reception at the British Embassy, with 650 VIPs and dignitaries in attendance. 

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.

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. 

The British Embassy’s Head Chef Craig Harnden revealed that his kitchen prepared between 2,500 and 3,000 individual sandwiches for the occasion. 

‘The calculation is based on experience and a little bit luck,’ he added, referring to the approximately 650 guests, including politicians and officials to charity leaders and sporting stars. 

The Afternoon Tea menu comprised sandwiches with four kinds of fillings, including Scottish smoked salmon with lemon butter, roasted British beef and horseradish, cheddar and fig, and pickled cucumber and dill. 

Chef Harnden said the scones were baked an hour and a half before the tea, and served with strawberries and clotted cream. 

There was also an extensive collection of traditional British desserts, including Bakewell tarts and a Victoria Sponge cake, that paired perfectly with Fortnum & Mason’s Royal Blend and Earl Grey variants. 

For guests preferring something stronger, there were plenty of glasses of Hambledon sparkling wine to go around.