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King Charles III

#RoyalVisitUSA Charles and Camilla’s first full day in Washington D.C

On their first full day in Washington D.C, Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall visited several historic landmarks including the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King Memorial and Mount Vernon.

The Duchess of Cornwall at Mount Vernon.

The Duchess of Cornwall at Mount Vernon.

Charles and Camilla began a slightly chilly morning in Washington D.C at the Lincoln Memorial where they were greeted by Karen Cucurullo, acting superintendent of National Mall and Memorial Parks. The royal couple was also welcomed and shown around by two revered historians, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Michael Beschloss. The two historians were on hand to explain to Charles and Camilla the history and architecture of the Lincoln Memorial.

The Lincoln Memorial is an American national monument built to honour the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. One of the several monuments built to commemorate an American President, it has always been a popular tourist attraction since its dedication in 1922

From the Lincoln Memorial, Charles and Camilla moved on to another memorial, this time the Martin Luther King Memorial. Upon their arrival, the royal party was greeted by Reverend Jesse Jackson and U.S Representatives John Lewis of Georgia and Terri Sewell of Alabama.

The Martin Luther King Memorial in West Potomac Park opened in 2011 after more than two decades of planning, fund-raising and construction. Although the memorial is not the first for an African-American in Washington D.C, Dr King is the first African-American honoured with a memorial on or near the National Mall. He is only the fourth non-President honoured in such a way.

Charles and Camilla spent a considerable amount of time walking through the plaza and paused for a few moments at one quote from Dr King engraved on the memorial wall. It reads “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that”. From this memorial wall, Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall met with Harry Johnson Jr, President and CEO of the foundation that built the memorial. Johnson presented the royal’s with a piece of stone from the memorial’s granite as a gift.

The next port of call for Charles and Camilla was Mount Vernon, former home of George Washington. Charles and his wife were greeted by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and his wife Dorothy, who guided Charles and Camilla around the gardens of Mount Vernon.

Prince Charles at Mount Vernon on Wednesday.

Prince Charles at Mount Vernon on Wednesday.

Mount Vernon was the home of the first President of the United States, George Washington. It is located on the banks of the Potomac River across from Prince George’s County, Maryland. George Washington came into possession of the estate in 1754 though did not become its sole owner until 1761. Mount Vernon was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Engagements scheduled for later on in the day include the Presidential Precinct hosting Prince Charles at the Global Issues Forum and The Duchess of Cornwall making a trip to the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington.

Charles and Camilla are in Washington D.C until Friday 20th March after which they will travel to Louisville, Kentucky.

Photos Courtesy of Marlene A. Eilers Koenig @royalmusing