Royal garden party welcoming King Charles to US breaks key tradition

Taijuan Moorman and Brendan Morrow, USA TODAYTue, April 21, 2026 at 1:48 PM UTC

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An upcoming royal garden party to welcome King Charles III to the United States has an unconventional take on the storied event.

Guests attending the party, set to take place at the British ambassador's residence in Washington D.C. during Charles and Queen Camilla's visit in late April, are being discouraged from wearing hats.

According to an invitation obtained by the Washington Examiner's Rob Crilly, along with a customary dress code of lounge suits and day dresses, the invitation reads, "Hats Not Encouraged."

USA TODAY has reached out to the White House for comment.

The dress code for a royal garden party, a tradition dating back centuries, includes lounge or business suits for men and day dresses for women, usually paired with hats or fascinators – headpieces consisting of feathers, flowers or beads. Men are also sometimes seen wearing top hats with their dress.

King Charles III smiles during a garden party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland, on July 1, 2025, on the first day of the king and queen's visit to Scotland.

The British royal family hosts three garden parties at Buckingham Palace and one at the Palace of Holyroodhouse each year. Royal garden parties on U.S. soil are rare, with the last notable instance during a visit from King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the parents of Queen Elizabeth II, in 1939.

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Charles, 77, and Camilla, 78, will visit the United States at the invitation of President Donald Trump, Buckingham Palace confirmed in March. This will be the first U.S. state visit for Charles since he became king in 2022. The visit will take place from April 27 to April 30 and include a banquet dinner at the White House on April 28.

Trump touts 'TERRIFIC' upcoming first state visit with King Charles

Charles "will celebrate the historic connections and the modern bilateral relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States, marking the 250th anniversary of American Independence," the palace said.

Charles' predecessor, his mother Queen Elizabeth II, made four state visits to the United States during her reign: in 1957, 1976, 1991 and, most recently, in 2007. Charles also visited the United States 19 times as Prince of Wales, according to Buckingham Palace.

Trump, meanwhile, visited Britain in September, marking his second state visit.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: King Charles visit will break royal dress code amid Trump invitation

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