Fashion, billionaires and jokes: Inside the White House state dinner for the King and Queen

Shades of pink set the tone for the evening as US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed King Charles and Queen Camilla to the White House, with a foyer draped in cherry blossoms creating the ceremonial backdrop.

Champagne flutes clinked as the president and the King raised toasts to one another, celebrating the deep-rooted ties and shared history between the countries.

The state dinner honoured the enduring relationship between the US and the UK, coinciding with Americans marking 250 years of independence.

In his remarks, Trump described the bond with the UK as a "friendship unlike any other on Earth".

The dinner opened with a speech by the US president, thanking the UK for the "great, great gift" of a rich inheritance, adding that most of Britain's former colonies do not know what they owe to it.

Trump then raised a toast to 250 years of American freedom and to King Charles, calling him a "great man". He said the two countries have stood together "defiant and triumphant against the forces of communism, fascism and tyranny".

King Charles presented the president with a bell from the tower of the HMS Trump, a Royal Navy submarine first launched in 1944 that served in the Battle of the Pacific during WW2.

In his own remarks, the monarch said it was a sign of "our shared history and shining future", joking, "if you ever need to get hold of us….just give us a ring".

The King concluded his speech by thanking Trump for a "wonderful dinner," quipping that it was "a considerable improvement on the Boston Tea Party".

The first lady led the preparations for the dinner, according to the White House.

The meal began with a garden herb velouté paired with a hearts of palm salad, followed by a ravioli dish featuring herbs from the White House garden. The main course was a classic dover sole meunière, bathed in nutty brown butter.

For dessert, the VIPs were served a sweet beehive-shaped chocolate gâteau with a vanilla bean crémeux custard.

The White House said the decor was inspired by English gardens, with the room featuring towering trees and blossoming boxes of lilac.

Tables were dressed in green linens and had seasonal spring bouquets featuring butterfly ranunculus, phlox, and lily of the valley.

Place settings included more than 250 pieces of vermeil from the White House collection, alongside hand-painted menus.

Beyond the guests of honour - the King and Queen - the White House invited more than 100 people.

This list included the president's cabinet, the King's aides, Republican lawmakers, six Supreme Court justices, television hosts, billionaire business owners and prominent conservative allies.

Among those from the Supreme Court were Justices Samuel Alito, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, John Roberts and Clarence Thomas.

Other high-profile guests to arrive were technology leaders who had earlier met the King at Blair House, including Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, accompanied by his wife Lauren Sanchez, and Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Fox News hosts Greg Gutfeld, Laura Ingraham and Bret Baier were also in attendance.

Professional golfer Rory McIlroy, US fashion designer Ralph Lauren, and billionaire businessman Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, were among others on the guest list.

The dress code for the evening was white tie attire, the most formal dress code.

The first lady wore a pale delphinium pink silk strapless gown by Christian Dior Haute Couture, with off-white Dior suede gloves. She paired that with Dior pale delphinium silk pumps.

Queen Camilla donned a deep pink Fiona Clare evening gown. That was paired with an amethyst and diamond necklace gifted by a former Duchess of Kent to Queen Victoria and then passed to Queen Mary.

The King and president wore black tailcoats and white shirts. The monarch paired his with a blue sash and medals.