King Charles, Prince William US Visits Planned for 2026 Amid Trade Push
King Charles III and Prince William are expected to make separate visits to the United States in 2026, as part of a renewed effort to strengthen trade ties with President Donald Trump, according to reports.
Advanced discussions are under way over a visit by the King, with The Times reporting that a trip is likely to take place in April. It would mark the first visit by a reigning British monarch to the US since Queen Elizabeth II accepted an invitation from President George W Bush in 2007.
Prince William is expected to make his own visit later in the year, coinciding with the football World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico between 11 June and 19 July. His trip would take place in his role as president of the Football Association, with England’s third group match scheduled for 27 June in New Jersey.
Trade deal under strain
The reported plans come after the United States paused a promised multibillion pound investment into British technology, citing unresolved trade disagreements. The £31bn package, announced during Trump’s state visit to the UK and described by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as “a generational step change in our relationship with the US”, included major commitments from American tech firms.
Under the deal, US companies pledged billions of pounds of investment in the UK, including £22bn from Microsoft and £5bn from Google. Washington later put the agreement on hold, pointing to a lack of progress by the UK in lowering trade barriers in other sectors.
The pause was a setback for the UK government, which had promoted the deal as a key outcome of intensive diplomatic engagement aimed at avoiding punitive tariffs on British exports. As part of that effort, Starmer hosted Trump for a second state visit at Windsor Castle in September, an unprecedented honour for a US president.
Earlier this month, Downing Street said negotiations with the US were continuing, while acknowledging that “negotiations of this kind are never straightforward”. Reports suggest US negotiators have grown frustrated by slow progress on a broader trade agreement announced in May 2025, when the UK avoided the 20 percent tariffs imposed by the US on much of the rest of the world.
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Britain’s digital services tax, strongly opposed by Trump’s technology sector allies, and demands for greater access to UK markets for American farmers are understood to be among the main sticking points.
Diplomatic timing and royal roles
It has been suggested that the King’s visit could be timed to ensure Prince William is also in the US around Independence Day on 4 July. The Prime Minister is not expected to accompany the King, with reports indicating that Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper would represent the government instead.
William’s trip during the World Cup would also place him in the US shortly before the 250th anniversary celebrations of the Declaration of Independence. The royal family last marked a major independence milestone in 1976, when Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited Philadelphia, Washington DC and New York, including a White House state dinner hosted by President Gerald Ford.
Reflecting on that visit in her Christmas broadcast, the Queen noted the transformation of relations between the two countries, saying the United States had been born in conflict with Britain but had not remained an enemy for long.
Palace response
Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the reported plans, stating that it does not discuss future royal engagements.
