New York — King Charles III and Queen Camilla paid tribute to the victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks during a packed tour of New York City on Wednesday — the first visit to the Big Apple by a British monarch in 16 years.
Charles laid flowers at the National September 11 Memorial and the royal couple spoke with relatives of victims, first responders and local dignitaries before traveling to other events in the middle of a four-day diplomatic trip to the United States to mark 250 years of American independence. Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth II, traveled to New York in 2010.
The king and queen were accompanied by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg as they walked to one of the memorial’s two swimming pools, where barriers bear the names of victims of the attacks. Charles placed a bunch of flowers on a railing before the couple silently bowed their heads in a moment of contemplation.
They then met about 90 guests, shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. Some relatives of the victims uploaded pictures of their missing loved ones. Also in the crowd were New York City Mayor Zahran Mamdani, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, New Jersey Governor Mickey Sherrill and other dignitaries. This gathering comes ahead of the 25th anniversary of the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Pennsylvania, including 67 British citizens.
The memorial visit took place under the usual security precautions that New York allows for visiting world leaders and heads of state. Police snipers were stationed on the rooftops of houses overlooking the site. Heavy trucks were used as barricades to close intersections. The large memorial square and the surrounding streets were closed to the public.
Small crowds of onlookers gathered at police barricades outside the secure perimeter, although members of the royal family were difficult to see. The King and Queen entered and exited their procession inside a tent, out of sight.
Meeting the Mayor of New York
Mamdani – who was born in Uganda, a former part of the British Empire, to parents from India, which gained independence from British rule in 1947 – shook hands with the king, and the two appeared to exchange greetings warmly. They only talked for a few seconds.
Earlier in the day, Mamdani said he hoped to keep the event’s focus on the victims of “horrific terrorist attacks” and not attempt to pursue any political talks. But after being pressed by a reporter, Mamdani said that if he had spoken to Charles in a different place and time, “I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond.”
This gem, one of the largest diamonds in the world, is part of the Crown Jewels. Captured by the East India Company after the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849, the jewel was given to Queen Victoria and is on display in the Tower of London. Countries including India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan have declared ownership.
Spending time with loved ones of September 11 victims
Anthoula Catsimatidis was among relatives of September 11 victims who spoke with the royal couple. Her brother, John Catsimatidis, was a broker for Cantor Fitzgerald and died at the World Trade Center.
“I found it very nice to be allowed to hug the Queen,” she said. “She was so endearing, like a king. I also told him I thought he was great.”
She said Charles told her he was surprised by the transformation the memorial site had undergone since he last visited it about 10 years ago. She said Camilla asked her if she came to the memorial often. “I said I do it because I find it a place of peace and tranquility and also of remembrance,” she said.
Before leaving the memorial, Charles and Camilla did not make any public statements. The square was generally off-limits to speeches by politicians or other public figures, and annual memorial ceremonies there included remarks only from the families and friends of the victims.
The King visits the urban agriculture program
The king also toured an after-school urban farming effort in Harlem that works with youth affected by food insecurity, and later planned to meet with business and financial leaders in Manhattan.
At Harlem Grown’s 134th Street Farm, Charles planted lavender and mustard seeds with elementary school children and visited the chicken coop. And watch a live food demonstration to educate kids about food and nutrition while showcasing vegetables harvested on the farm.
One of the students said to the king: “I like your hair,” and he replied: “Do you? Good.”
Meanwhile, the Queen visited the New York Public Library, where she spoke quietly with actress Sarah Jessica Parker as she walked through the building while a large crowd of onlookers watched from behind the barricades across Fifth Avenue.
Camilla was due to deliver a new Rue doll to add to the library’s popular 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 children’s books by A. A. Milne. It was owned by the English author’s son, the real Christopher Robin, in the 1920s. The dolls were donated to the library in 1987 and are an essential part of the library’s children’s literature collection. Roo, in the books, was a little brown kangaroo and the son of a kanga.
The royal couple were then expected to attend a reception for the King’s Trust, a charity founded by Charles in 1976.
This four-day trip is Charles’s first state visit to the United States since becoming king. His mother, Queen Elizabeth II, made four official visits to the United States
On 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 held a closed meeting in the Oval Office. The king then delivered a rare speech to Congress – the first by a British monarch since his late mother in 1991 – followed by a state dinner at the White House.
The Kings are also expected to stop in Virginia before they conclude their visit to the United States at the White House on Thursday with a formal farewell from Trump. Charles then travels alone to Bermuda on his first visit as king to a British overseas territory.
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Collins reported from Hartford, Connecticut.
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