King Charles and Queen Camilla have been spending the week in the United States, where they have had a glittering State Banquet with President Donald Trump and headed to New York City for moving engagements.
However, this is far from the first time that the monarch has travelled across the pond on official business, with his first trip to the United States coming back in 1970, when he was aged 21. And with a 56-year time difference, Charles looked miles different than he currently does, being a dapper young chap during his initial visit.
Charles and his sister, Princess Anne, were in the country from 16 to 18 July 1970 as they spent time in the capital, Washington D.C.
At the time, Charles was one of the world's most eligible bachelors, and the then US President, Richard Nixon, attempted to set the royal up with his own daughter, Tricia. The then heir to the throne escorted Tricia to a formal dinner, and the pair saw several sites in the capital, as well as a baseball game.
© Alamy Stock PhotoSpeaking ahead of the visit, the President said: "The fact that the visit is a personal visit and not an official visit is an indication of the closeness between the United States and Great Britain and the British Commonwealth, and also between the family in this house and the family in London."
Reflecting on the moment in 2021, Charles told CNN: "That was quite amusing, I must say. That was the time when they were trying to marry me off to Tricia Nixon."
© Penske Media via Getty ImagesCharles and Tricia never became an item, with Tricia marrying politician Edward F. Cox the following year, while Charles famously married the late Princess Diana in 1981, before marrying Camilla in 2005.
Highlights of the trip saw Charles visit the Patuxent Center for Wildlife Research and Propagation of Endangered Animal Species. He also visited several museums, Capitol Hill, Camp David and watched a baseball game with the Washington Senators playing.
© Penske Media via Getty ImagesHowever, while Charles' family are known for their sportiness, the royal was left bemused by the game. Speaking to The Guardian, David Eisenhower, the grandson of former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower, revealed the game wasn't a "highlight" for Charles.
David explained: "The baseball game was not very well planned actually, and I would say this was not one of Prince Charles’s highlights. First of all, I had to explain the game to him; he didn't know anything about it. And second, this was mid-July, and in the afternoon, so you can imagine how hot it was. Third, the crowd was sparse. They didn't promote the idea that Charles was going to be there, probably for security reasons."
He added: "So it felt sort of empty and then fourth, it was a pitcher's duel. How can you explain the game if you're watching a shutout? And so the whole thing was stressful and I think probably he didn't enjoy it that much, but he was a very nice guy."
Although the baseball game wasn't a hit for Charles, the then future monarch was able to enjoy visits to the Lincoln Memorial, Mount Vernon and a lunch on the Presidential Yacht.
Charles' other visits
Although this outing marks the first time that Charles has been in the United States as monarch, he visited the country numerous times while he was serving as the Prince of Wales.
In 1977, he conducted a 12-day tour, visiting the likes of Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston, among others. He also conducted visits in 1981 and 1982, the first of which saw him meet Ronald and Nancy Reagan.
© Getty ImagesIn 1985, Charles and Diana went to Washington D.C. and Palm Beach, and the following year, Charles visited twice, once saw him in California and Texas, while the second saw him attend the 350th anniversary of Harvard.
Other visits in the 1980s saw the then Prince of Wales in Pittsburgh, Palm Beach and Washington D.C. He visited five times in the 1990s, while the 00s saw him attend the state funeral of Ronald Reagan on behalf of the late Queen, while the country also served as his first official overseas trip with Camilla.
