King Charles Jokes on 1814 White House Burning at Dinner

King Charles III drew laughter from guests at a White House state dinner on Tuesday evening with witty references to British history, including the 1814 burning of the White House by British forces during the War of 1812. The monarch's remarks came during a four-day state visit to the United States, hosted by President Donald Trump to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence.

In his toast, Charles noted ongoing renovations to the White House East Wing, saying, "I cannot help noticing the readjustments to the East Wing, Mr. President. I am sorry to say that we British made our own small attempt at real estate redevelopment of the White House in 1814." The comment prompted applause and laughter from the audience, which included Republican lawmakers and donors. He also responded playfully to Trump's recent remark that Europe might be speaking German without U.S. intervention in World War II, adding, "Dare I say that, if it wasn't for us, you'd be speaking French."

Charles presented Trump with the original bell from HMS Trump, a British submarine from World War II that served in the Pacific. "Should you ever need to get hold of us, well, just give us a ring," he quipped....