Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
King Charles is said to be under protection in the US by counter-drone systems, long-range observation teams and rapid response units.
The monarch, 77, and his wife Queen Camilla, 78, arrived in the United States on Monday (27.04.26) for a four-day state visit with US president Donald Trump, 79, amid heightened concerns after a gunman opened fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C., prompting a large-scale emergency response.
Charles’ visit – organised by Buckingham Palace in coordination with US authorities – is also taking place against a backdrop of political tensions between the UK and US governments, as well as renewed scrutiny on security arrangements overseen by the US Secret Service.
Camilla is accompanying Charles, with engagements scheduled at the White House and across Washington, alongside planned visits to New York and Virginia.
Security planning for the visit has drawn attention following the incident at the Correspondents’ Dinner, where Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump, 56, were evacuated from the ballroom after gunfire rang out in the latest attempt to assassinate the president.
According to reports, the Secret Service – supported by specialist units – has now increased its presence around Charles, with additional personnel and surveillance measures expected throughout his visit.
Richard Aitch, a former security specialist, told The Sun: “Security will be on another level as to what was originally planned – the hatches will be battened down.”
Anthony Glees, a security expert, added the King’s decision to travel reflected the seriousness of the situation, suggesting the trip carried inherent risks given the current climate.
Preparations for the visit are understood to have included discussions between Buckingham Palace and US officials in the days following the dinner incident, with adjustments made to the programme while allowing it to proceed.
Charles, who has previously experienced an attempted attack earlier in his life, is expected to be accompanied by officers from the Metropolitan Police’s Royalty and Specialist Protection unit, working alongside US agencies.
The Secret Service will take the lead in coordinating security, with additional support from other federal and military units.
Mr Aitch also told The Sun: “There’s a whole host of conduct going on in the background… months or possibly a year in advance to a scheduled visit.”
He added: “That is going to be the main concern of the Royalty and Specialist Protection. Are there going to be sufficient measures in place to combat, to counter lone wolf attackers? And of course, the interaction with the public, the distance between the King and the members of the general public is going to be another concern.”
Further details of the operation suggest the deployment of counter-drone systems, long-range observation teams and rapid response units.
Will Geddes, another security expert, told The Sun: “We will see a heightened level of security coverage.”
He added: “There would have been a very clear directive that would have gone down from President Trump’s office to the various agencies that will be involved to basically say, ‘You need to be on your game.’ ‘You need to make sure we are not embarrassed to get on the world stage in the event of what happened obviously at the correspondents’ ball’.”
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, was formally charged in a D.C. federal court on Monday, following the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
During the arraignment, prosecutors revealed Allen faces three major criminal charges, which could lead to a sentence of up to life in prison.
They are the attempted assassination of Trump, transportation of a firearm in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
The judge ordered Allen to be detained without bond pending a formal detention hearing scheduled for Thursday morning.
Allen did not enter a plea during this initial appearance. His court-appointed lawyer emphasised he is presumed innocent and noted he has no prior criminal record.
Prosecutors stated when Allen was arrested after charging the security checkpoint he was armed with a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, a .38 caliber semi-automatic pistol, and three knives.
