King Charles III offered a charming glimpse into his personal interests as he bonded with Tom Daley over an unexpected shared passion, knitting, during the first day of his US state visit.
The light-hearted exchange took place at a garden party hosted at the Washington residence of the UK’s ambassador, Sir Christian Turner, bringing a relaxed close to a day filled with high-level diplomacy.
Among the 650 guests were politicians, charity leaders and cultural figures, but it was Charles’ conversation with Tom that captured attention, revealing a softer, more relatable side to the monarch.
Tom, who has become as well known for his knitting as his Olympic achievements, later shared details of their chat, explaining that the King had tried his hand at the craft as a child.
“He said he tried knitting when he was eight and he wasn’t very good,” Tom revealed. “But he said he might pick it back up — he knows it’s very good for mental health.”
© Samir Hussein/WireImageThe Olympic champion, who now lives in Los Angeles with his husband and their two children, described knitting as his own “outlet for creativity, mindfulness and meditation,” and even hinted at a future collaboration with the King.
“I want to try and get it back into the school curriculum and maybe he can help me do that,” he added.
The garden party marked a key moment in the royal couple’s four-day visit, which is taking place to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence. Earlier in the day, Charles and Queen Camilla attended a White House welcome before heading to the ambassador’s residence for the evening reception.
© WireImageCamilla, meanwhile, kept things refreshingly honest as she admitted to feeling “quite jet lagged” after the long-haul journey, even as she spent time speaking with leaders of charities tackling domestic abuse and child exploitation — causes close to her heart.
© WireImageGuests at the event included high-profile political figures such as Ted Cruz, Nancy Pelosi and Mike Johnson, alongside sporting stars including footballer Esme Morgan.
While the tone of the evening was celebratory, the visit itself carries significant political weight. The King is set to address both houses of Congress, where he will describe the relationship between the UK and US as “one of the greatest alliances in human history,” while acknowledging the importance of unity in the face of global challenges.
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