King Charles III and Queen Camilla have said goodbye to their state visit to the US, attending a community party and parade in the small town of Front Royal in the state of Virginia.
After the formality and diplomatic challenges of Washington DC, this was an opportunity to see a more relaxed side of the US, with bluegrass music and country rock blasting around the town square.It was the final day, but the first time the royal couple had met the US public, with other events held in extremely tightly sealed security bubbles.There was high security for this event too, but it looked as though a large part of the population of the town had turned out to watch.When the King and Queen appeared there were big cheers from the crowds.The royal couple watched a marching band and, for the first time on this trip, went on a walkabout to shake hands, which seemed to please the locals out enjoying the Appalachian sunshine.
It was full-on razzamatazz, with bunting and flags, young baseball players and elderly veterans. Cheerleaders were cheering and a parade of classic cars rolled through town.There was also a demonstration of Appalachian clog dancing, watched keenly by the King and Queen, in a kind of impromptu royal variety show.
This was Front Royal’s “block party”, a neighbourhood celebration, marking the 250th anniversary of US independence.There was also a “pot luck” community meal, and in line with tradition, the King and Queen brought their own contributions – a Coronation quiche, a Victoria sponge and honey from the royal hives.It served as an example of small-town America, with a population of 15,000 and shops with names like Loose Cow Mercantile, Weasel Creek Outfitters and Proctor Biggs Feed Mill.Bing Crosby sang here once for a fundraiser in 1948. But that landmark occasion could be eclipsed by the royal visitors.It was a big day for the town, but it also looked like a big relief for the King and Queen – and it was a trip that almost did not happen after the mayor deleted the email containing the proposition, thinking it was a hoax.
It was a cheerful ending for what had proved an unexpectedly successful four days in the US, where the King’s speech to Congress had particularly drawn applause.
Before heading to Virginia, and a taste of the countryside, on Thursday morning the King and Queen had said their official farewells at the White House to US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.Then they paid their respects at Arlington National Cemetery, where they laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior and a gun salute was fired.
The final steps of this carefully choreographed state visit were in Virginia and the countryside of the Shenandoah Valley.The sounds in Front Royal were not of the chink of glasses in Washington or the small talk of a glitzy reception in New York. Instead, it was the music of a marching band and cheering crowds.Here was a glimpse of some regular Americans, with plenty of photo opportunities.But the crowds seemed to love their town’s moment in the sunshine. And the royal visitors waved back, perhaps glad that their four-day challenge to rebuild relations with the United States had made such a positive impact.
They got into another convoy of huge black cars, and with lights flashing and a siren wailing, rolled out of town to begin their journey to their next destination – Bermuda.
